AFCON
English Premiership League set to lose 40 players during Afcon
The Africa Cup of Nations begins next month, with about 40 Premier League players set to miss several weeks of the season as they head to Cameroon.
Watford have the most players eligible – six – although two are likely to miss out through injury.
Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Leicester are all set to wave four players off too, while Liverpool will lose three – including Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Chelsea are likely to be without keeper Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech.
They could miss the Fifa Club World Cup and league games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham, among others.
Leeds, Newcastle, Norwich and Tottenham will not lose anybody.
As things stand, players could go after the games on 26 December, and those who reach the final may not be available again until Saturday, 12 February.
While the Africa Cup of Nations does not start until Sunday, 9 January, Fifa rules say clubs must release their players by Monday morning of the week preceding the week the tournament starts – which is 27 December.
Players can come back to England the day after their teams are knocked out, with the final and third-place play-off on Sunday, 6 February.
However, many clubs are currently negotiating with various national teams to try to delay the date they have to release their players.
The European Club Association (ECA) has expressed its “deep concerns” regarding player welfare before the tournament because of the “worsening public health situation” around Covid and is seeking urgent talks with world governing body Fifa.
No squads have been named yet but these are the players who could be gone.
Watford (6)
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal)*, Peter Etebo*, Emmanuel Dennis, William Troost-Ekong (all Nigeria), Adam Masina, Imran Louza (both Morocco)
*Sarr and Etebo likely to miss out through injury
Arsenal(4)
Thomas Partey (Ghana), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast), Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)
Crystal Palace (4)
Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jeffrey Schlupp, Jordan Ayew (both Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
Leicester City (4)
Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi (both Nigeria), Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Nampalys Mendy (Senegal)*
*Mendy is not in the Foxes’ Premier League squad
Aston Villa (3)
Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Trezeguet (Egypt), Marvelous Nakamba (Zimbabwe)
Brentford (3)
Frank Onyeka (Nigeria), Tariqe Fosu (Ghana), Julian Jeanvier (Guinea)
Liverpool (3)
Naby Keita (Guinea), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Chelsea (2)
Edouard Mendy (Senegal), Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
Everton (2)
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Ivory Coast)
Manchester United (2)
Eric Bailly, Amad Diallo (both Ivory Coast)
Southampton (2)
Moussa Djenepo (Mali), Mohammed Salisu (Ghana)*
*Salisu is uncapped
Wolverhampton Wanderers (2)
Willy Boly (Ivory Coast)*, Romain Saiss (Morocco)
*Boly has not played in the Premier League because of injury this season but is expected to go to Afcon
Brighton & Hove Albion (1)
Yves Bissouma (Mali)
Burnley (1)
Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)
Manchester City (1)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
West Ham United (1)
Said Benrahma (Algeria)
Leeds United (0)
Newcastle United (0)
Norwich City (0)
Tottenham Hotspur (0)
What are some of the affected key games in this time?
- FA Cup third and fourth-round ties
- Chelsea’s Fifa Club World Cup matches
- 28 December: Leicester v Liverpool
- 1 January: Arsenal v Manchester City
- 2 January: Chelsea v Liverpool
- 14 January: Brighton v Crystal Palace
- 15 January: Manchester City v Chelsea
- 16 January: Tottenham v Arsenal
- 23 January: Chelsea v Tottenham
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for their impressive performance in the 4–0 victory over Benin Republic, praising the team for keeping Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Adebayo Onanuga, the President lauded the players for their “hunger, passion, and determination” during the crucial qualifier in Uyo, describing their display as one that has “reignited Nigerians’ football pride.”
“While the job is not yet complete, I join millions of Nigerian football fans in wishing our team every success in the playoffs,” Tinubu said. “The mood across the country reflects a shared belief that Nigeria deserves a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico, and the United States will host.”
Reaffirming the government’s backing, President Tinubu assured the players and coaching crew of full Federal Government support as they prepare for the decisive play-off stage.
“Nigerians everywhere believe in you, and I do too,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you fly our flag proudly on the world stage.”
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The Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has announced a strong start to ticket sales, confirming that 58,000 tickets had been sold as of Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
According to an official update, the enthusiasm for the continental showpiece has also been reflected on the Yalla App, where 145,731 applications have been received so far. In addition, a total of 121,924 FAN IDs have been issued, including 31,058 belonging to foreign nationals representing 108 countries around the world.
In response to the overwhelming demand, the committee disclosed that technical teams are working round the clock to enhance the ticketing and FAN ID systems to ensure smooth processing for fans.
To assist applicants and ensure better communication, the organizers have provided a dedicated customer service line: +212 5 30 30 20 30. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Arabic, English, and French, and is staffed by over 600 agents trained to respond to inquiries and provide user support.
Fans can also reach the support team via email at info@yallamorocco.ma.
The Organizing Committee expressed gratitude to supporters, media representatives, delegations, and partners for their enthusiasm and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a seamless and memorable experience for all stakeholders during AFCON Morocco 2025.
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Ticket sales for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will officially open on Monday, 13 October 2025, with an exclusive 48-hour pre-sale window reserved for Visa cardholders, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced.
Fans across Africa and around the world will be able to secure their seats for what promises to be the continent’s biggest football spectacle, which will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The special Visa pre-sale period will run from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) until Wednesday, 15 October at 08:00 GMT, before general ticket sales open to all fans using other payment methods.
To streamline ticket purchases and enhance security, the Local Organizing Committee has launched the YALLA App, an integrated digital platform for fans to obtain their Fan ID — a mandatory requirement for buying tickets — and apply for E-Visas (AEVM) where necessary.
According to organizers, each registered Fan ID allows supporters to buy only one ticket per match, ensuring wider access and transparency in ticket distribution.
The process for obtaining tickets is straightforward:
- Download the YALLA App, available on Google Play and the App Store.
- Apply for a Fan ID and E-Visa (if required) through the app.
- Once approved, Visa cardholders can visit tickets.cafonline.com starting from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) to purchase their AFCON 2025 tickets.
The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is expected to deliver a festival of football and culture, with fans urged to complete their Fan ID registration early to avoid last-minute rushes.
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