FIFA has announced December 15 as the official date for releasing players participating in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, providing relief to European clubs that were worried about losing important players too early in the season.
The updated date allows clubs to keep their African players for an extra week before they join their national teams for pre-tournament training.
This decision comes after discussions involving FIFA, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and several football stakeholders, with the aim of balancing club responsibilities with national team obligations.
The revised release period is expected to help clubs in top European leagues, where the busy December schedule can significantly influence title races and qualification for continental competitions.
The 2025 AFCON, which will be hosted in Morocco, will gather the continent’s leading national teams for one of African football’s biggest events.
With this ruling, Super Eagles players like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and others likely to play in Morocco will be available for club matches further into the festive fixture list.
Clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United will still be without key African stars once the tournament begins.
