Africa’s biggest showpiece between its nations has gotten an official kickoff date as the next Africa Cup of Nations finals have been put back six months and will now take place from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
The Confederation of African Football [CAF] has announced as the tournament in Morocco – which was expected to hold in the has been shifted due to FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup in June and July which pits 32 teams against each other in the United States of America.
African football’s governing body also shifted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations by 12 months as it will now hold from July 5 to July 26 also in Morocco.
After CAF had laid complaints about the crowded international calender, the released dates were highly anticipated as a solution was clamoured.
Speaking about the recent developments, CAF president Patrice Motsepe said: “The announcement of the dates of the AFCON in Morocco 2025 took much longer than expected, as there were complex and at times challenging discussions with various interested parties, in the light of the extensive international and domestic match calendars.
“CAF is committed to protecting and advancing the interests of African players, [who are] playing in football clubs in Europe and worldwide.
“CAF is also committed to building mutually beneficial relationships with the other football confederations and FIFA.”
Organising the AFCON in the middle of the European league season stirs an uneasy situation between clubs and nations for African players who ply their trade with teams in Europe.
The amend the situation, CAF had decided the competition would hold every mid-year in biennial intervals from Egypt 2019. However, they had gone back on their decision as the last two tournaments in Cameroon and Ivory Coast was played at the start of the year.
Moving the 2025 tournament to December rather than January is also a bid to avoid a clash with the expanded UEFA Champions League.
The 2025 Nations Cup qualifiers will take centre stage in the following international windows in September, October and November this year.
