BOMA - the Desert Owl - takes flight as official mascot of FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025

Mascot pays tribute to legendary coach Velibor Bora Milutinović for his role in advancing football in Qatar and beyond Doha, Qatar: The Local Org...

Mascot pays tribute to legendary coach Velibor “Bora” Milutinović for his role in advancing football in Qatar and beyond

Doha, Qatar: The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 and FIFA today unveiled BOMA - the Desert Owl as the official tournament mascot – a character inspired by the legendary Serbian coach Velibor “Bora” Milutinović, the only manager in football history to lead five different national teams in five consecutive FIFA World Cup™ tournaments.

The name “Boma,” is derived from the Arabic word for owl – regarded as a symbol of wisdom, vision, and mentorship, and is a playful nod to Bora, whose career as both coach and talent scout has profoundly influenced football development in Qatar and across the world.

For a tournament that celebrates the emergence of new talent, BOMA embodies the pivotal role of a football scout – one who sees potential where others may not and helps young players spread their wings on the global stage.

Known affectionately as Coach Bora, Milutinović guided Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States, Nigeria, and China at five successive World Cups between 1986 and 2002 – a unique achievement unmatched in football history. He went on to coach Al Sadd SC of the Qatar Stars League in 2004,leading them to win the Amir Cup in the same year, and contributed to the country’s football development programmes, making him a fitting inspiration for this tournament’smascot.