The replica of the Africa Cup of Nations football trophy, whose 35th edition will be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026, alone commemorates the prominent milestones of this major continental competition, which has gone through several stages that have shaped its development and historical trajectory.

This sculpture symbolizes the pride of an entire continent and holds a memory full of glories, for a championship that transformed from a mini-tournament that included four teams in 1957 into a global football event followed by hundreds of millions of fans around the world.

The first cup of this continental championship was in honor of Abdel Aziz Abdullah Salem, the Egyptian engineer and first president of the Confederation of African Football. It was presented during the inaugural edition hosted by Sudan in 1957, carrying the aspirations of newly independent African nations, which had adopted football as a platform to make their mark on the international stage.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) then adopted a common practice of awarding the trophy permanently to any team that won the title three times. Ghana was the first to achieve this feat, winning in 1963, 1965, and 1978. Their victory in the continental title on home soil in Accra in 1978 marked the end of the"Salem Cup" tradition.

Decades after becoming part of Ghana's national heritage, the trophy was reported stolen from the Ghana Football Association headquarters and has yet to be recovered. Although Ghana remains the first nation to win and retain the Africa Cup of Nations trophy, the disappearance of the original cup has cast a pall of sadness over this bright chapter in its football history.

Following the draw for the first trophy, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to adopt a new model reflecting the 1980s and 1990s, a period characterized by increased competition on sporting, media, and economic levels. Thus, the"African Unity Cup" became a symbol of a growing tournament, broadcast in color, and attracting national teams boasting professional players from the world's top leagues.

The rule of winning three consecutive titles remained in effect, allowing Cameroon, after their victories in 1984, 1988, and 2000, to permanently retain the trophy. Their triumph in Lagos in 2000 marked the final stage for the African Unity Cup, which became part of the Indomitable Lions' collection.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) chose a new design for the championship trophy. The current trophy was presented during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Mali. It was designed by an Italian company and features a golden ball, laurel branches, and a conical base. It is elegant, contemporary, and easily recognizable at first glance.

With its larger size and more prominent sculpture, this model brings the Africa Cup of Nations closer to the visual standards adopted in major international football events.

With the dawn of the third millennium, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) realized that keeping the trophy every two or three editions was detrimental to the visual continuity of the competition and incurred additional financial burdens. Since 2002, the original trophy has remained the permanent property of CAF. The winning team raises and keeps it during their title reign before returning it, while the winning federation receives an official replica, and the players are awarded their medals.

The name of each new champion is engraved on the base of the original trophy, in a continuous series since 2002, while the Confederation of African Football takes great care to keep the trophy between tournaments in precise and strict conditions.

From the first edition of the Africa Cup of Nations to the present day, the tournament cup has remained the focus of attention and ambitions of the participating teams, cementing the status of the “CAN” as a continental event that embodies African leadership and sporting excellence.

The following is a historical summary of the development of the Africa Cup of Nations:

– 1957: Launch of the Africa Cup of Nations and adoption of the “Salem Cup”

– 1963… 1978: Ghana wins three titles and retains the first cup (1978)

– 1980: Adoption of the “African Unity Cup”

– 1984… 2000: Cameroon wins three titles and retains its second cup (2000)

– 2002: Presentation of the current trophy; Cameroon is the first to win it

– 2006… 2010: A historic treble for Egypt, with the awarding of an official copy of the trophy

– Since 2010: The original trophy remains the property of CAF, and winners receive an engraved replica.