AFCON 2015 ball revealed - PICTURE!

Cape Town - The adidas ball to be used at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Equatorial Guinea, has been revealed.

The tournament, originally scheduled for Morocco, will take place between January 17 and February 8 next year.

The ball has been named the "Marhaba" which is an Arabic word for "welcome".

The Marhaba, will be officially revealed on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 during the draw of the tournament at the Sipopo Convention Centre in Malabo.

Taking inspiration from the intricate history of the tournament and its famously passionate fans, the ball was designed in collaboration with CAF. The distinctive gold and blue colouring on the ball represents the contrasting landscapes of the continent, from the Sahara desert to the bright azure sky of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean.

Like its counterparts in regional and international tournaments, Marhaba has gone through a thorough testing process to make sure that it is suited to the playing conditions during the tournament. The technology incorporated into the bladder and carcass of the ball is identical to the Brazuca (2014 Soccer World Cup in Brazil) and the ever popular UEFA Champions League™ Official Match Ball.

The ball will be available to buy at selected adidas retail outlets and associated stockists from Monday, December 1, 2014.

Ready to crown the kings of Africa: The Marhaba. The official match ball for the #AFCON pic.twitter.com/MqRR7EZERF

— adidasfootball (@adidasfootball) November 26, 2014