The Fédération Internationale de Football Association has approved a new grace period that allows clubs to hold on to their African stars until December 15 before sending them to national camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The world football body announced the change on Wednesday, saying players such as Mohamed Salah, Bryan Mbeumo and Achraf Hakimi can now feature for their clubs for an additional week before joining their national teams for the tournament, which will run from December 21 to January 18.
FIFA said the move followed what it called “fruitful consultations” with stakeholders and the Confederation of African Football. The body explained that the new date will ease pressure on clubs already facing congested schedules.
FIFA said, “It was also decided to encourage member associations participating in the 2025 AFCON and clubs releasing players to engage in good faith bilateral discussions in order to find appropriate individual solutions.”
Before the adjustment, clubs were expected to release players by December 8. This would have left some English Premier League teams without key players for up to seven or eight matches in one of the busiest periods of the season.
The change comes as several EPL sides brace for heavy absences. Liverpool will lose Mohamed Salah, while Manchester City will be without Omar Marmoush and Algeria’s Rayan Ait-Nouri. Manchester United will miss Bryan Mbeumo, Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo and Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui.
Clubs like Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also set to be hit hard, with up to seven and five possible call-ups respectively.
On the other hand, league leaders Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds will not lose any players to the competition.
In France, PSG will release Achraf Hakimi, while other major European clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Juventus will have no players involved.
Bayern Munich forward Nicolas Jackson, on loan from Chelsea, will represent Senegal but will not miss many Bundesliga games due to the league’s winter break from December 22 to January 8.
The tournament favourites include Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Senegal.
