The upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco presents substantial challenges for Premier League clubs, with up to 43 players potentially departing for international duty during the critical winter fixture period. Scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, the tournament coincides with six Premier League matchdays, the FA Cup third round, and EFL Cup semi-final first legs—potentially causing key players to miss up to eight crucial matches.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Manchester United’s new signing Bryan Mbuemo headline the list of prominent players expected to participate. While 50 African players currently feature in England’s top flight, several nations including Ghana, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau failed to qualify, sparing players like Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo from international call-ups.
Club impact varies significantly across the league: Sunderland faces the most substantial disruption with eight potential absentees, while Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace each anticipate losing four players. Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa has already been excluded from DR Congo’s squad due to injury concerns. Notably, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Leeds United maintain squads without African players, insulating them from tournament-related disruptions.
Nigeria leads Premier League representation with nine players, followed by Ivory Coast and Senegal with six each. Brighton emerges as uniquely affected—though possessing multiple African players, their representatives hail from nations that didn’t qualify for the tournament.
The tournament’s scheduling continues a longstanding tension between international commitments and club obligations, forcing managers to devise contingency plans for approximately one month of depleted squads during the demanding winter period.