The AFC and Kelme on Tuesday announced KHUZAMA unveiled as Official Match Ball of AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, the confederation said in a statement released from its Kuala Lumpur headquarters. The announcement coincided with the official 100-day countdown to the tournament which will be played from January 7 to February 5 2027 across venues in Riyadh Jeddah and Al Khobar according to the AFC. The name honours the wild lavender that grows throughout the Kingdom representing its ability to withstand harsh conditions and the dramatic transformation when its flowers bloom together the statement explained.
The ball’s design extends the tournament’s modern visual identity through geometric patterns that incorporate the gateway motif inspired by traditional Najdi architecture the AFC reported. A diamond frame surrounds the tournament logo to reflect local design rhythms and openness while purple green and sandy tones match the event palette according to the confederation’s description. High-contrast purple and white panels provide superior visibility for all involved in matches whether in daylight or under floodlights an AFC technical assessment found.
Performance engineering has been prioritised in the ball’s construction to ensure optimal flight and control Kelme said in the joint announcement. The Spanish manufacturer supplied the official ball for the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar and is continuing the partnership for this edition company chairman Ke Yunxiang noted. After the success of supplying the official ball for the last edition of the Asian Cup we are proud to unveil Khuzama our official ball for the second consecutive time Ke Yunxiang said.
A compilation of previous official match balls shows Adidas provided the Roteiro for the 2004 tournament while Nike supplied models for the 2007 2011 and 2015 editions according to AFC tournament archives. Molten manufactured the ball used at the 2019 finals in the United Arab Emirates before Kelme took over for 2023 the records indicate. The selection of KHUZAMA continues the trend of tailoring the match ball to each host nation’s cultural context the AFC noted.
The tournament will feature 24 teams competing in eight stadiums including the upgraded King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh which will stage the opening match and the final the AFC has confirmed. Aramco was named an official global supporter in May and the Al Khobar venue will be known as Aramco Stadium the confederation announced at the time. EA SPORTS FC was later appointed as the official licensed product to bring the tournament into video games according to a separate AFC statement.
Datuk Seri Windsor John AFC general secretary said the ball launch formed part of ongoing preparations for the expanded finals. The unveiling of Khuzama represents another exciting milestone as we move forward towards the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Datuk Seri Windsor John stated. The confederation has set high standards for the event including the appointment of 76 match officials earlier in September according to an AFC release.
