In a widely welcomed decision, FIFA has officially confirmed December 15, 2025, as the mandatory release date for all players selected for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The announcement, made on December 3, grants European clubs an additional week with their African internationals during the busiest and most decisive period of the domestic season.
The ruling directly addresses long-standing concerns from top clubs across the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1, who feared that an earlier release date would severely weaken their squads at a critical juncture. December’s packed fixture list — including league derbies, Champions League matchdays, domestic cup ties, and the traditional festive schedule — often shapes title races and European qualification.
The compromise was reached after extensive consultations between FIFA, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the European Club Association (ECA), and national federations. FIFA described the agreement as reflecting a “spirit of solidarity,” acknowledging CAF’s flexibility in accepting a significantly shorter preparation window for the national teams.
Under the new timeline, players must report to their countries no later than December 15, leaving coaches with just six days before the tournament opener on December 21 — when hosts Morocco face Comoros in Casablanca. Several pre-tournament friendlies, including a high-profile clash between Nigeria and Egypt originally scheduled for December 14, are now likely to be cancelled or relocated.
For African teams, the compressed schedule poses logistical and tactical challenges. National team staffs will have minimal time for training camps, fitness testing, tactical drills, or squad integration. Nigeria’s head coach Eric Chelle recently named a provisional 55-man squad, but the tight turnaround may force many federations to rethink their preparations entirely.
Nevertheless, the decision has been warmly received by clubs. Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed that Mohamed Salah will remain available until December 15, ensuring the Egyptian captain can play a full role in the Reds’ demanding December programme. Similarly, Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, Fulham duo Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, and a host of other Premier League and Serie A stars will stay with their clubs for crucial matches before departing for Morocco.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain are among the many elite sides that will still lose key players midway through the month, but the extra seven days provide vital breathing room in an already congested calendar.
The 2025 AFCON will be the 35th edition of Africa’s flagship international tournament and the second to be staged in a December–January window, a shift introduced in 2019 to avoid extreme summer heat across the continent. Morocco, awarded hosting rights after originally being scheduled for 2015, will stage matches in six cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, and Fez. The final is set for January 18 at the Stade Ibn Battouta Stadium in Tangier.
Morocco enter as favourites on home soil, buoyed by their historic semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup and a talented squad featuring Hakim Ziyech, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, and emerging stars. They will face stiff competition from defending champions Ivory Coast, Senegal (2021 winners), seven-time champions Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, and a resurgent Nigeria side aiming to end a 12-year title drought.
Victor Osimhen, the reigning African Footballer of the Year, will lead Nigeria’s attack alongside Europa League final hero Ademola Lookman and creative talents such as Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi. Nigeria have been drawn in a challenging Group C with Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The tournament is expected to attract a global audience of well over a billion viewers and will once again highlight Africa’s extraordinary footballing depth, passion, and competitive intensity.
While some coaches and analysts have raised concerns about player fatigue and injury risk due to the lack of recovery time between club and international duty, the overwhelming sentiment among European clubs is one of relief. The December 15 release date strikes a rare balance in the perennial tug-of-war between club and country — at least for this cycle.
As Morocco prepares to welcome the continent’s finest, the football world can look forward to another thrilling chapter of AFCON history, with Africa’s biggest stars arriving fresh from decisive club performances and ready to light up the Moroccan winter.
