CAF Announces New Dates For 2025 AFCON In Morocco

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially confirmed the new date for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

On Friday, CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, noted that the tournament is now scheduled for play in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

“I am confident that the CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 will be extremely successful and the best AFCON in the history of this competition,” Motsepe said yesterday.

CAF conducted a virtual executive committee meeting at their headquarters in Cairo on Friday evening, following which Motsepe delivered the announcement.

The AFCON, initially slated for June and July 2025, has been strategically rescheduled.

This decision was crucial to avoid a scheduling conflict with the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States, which is set to take place from June 15 to July 13 the following year.

Dates Clash

One of the significant hurdles faced by CAF officials was to navigate the potential overlap with the UEFA Champions League in Europe, a challenge that required careful consideration and planning.

The sixth matchday of the prestigious European club competition concludes on December 11, 2025, with the seventh matchday commencing on January 21, 2026.

However, it’s important to note that the revised dates are not without their challenges.

They are likely to stir discontent among several Premier League clubs, given the busy Christmas-New Year period, during which teams are scheduled to play numerous matches in a short span of time.

Reports from English media have hinted that clubs may resist releasing African players, as they are obligated to do so for only one international tournament per year, with the next World Cup scheduled for 2026.

CAF could make a case that the 2025 AFCON, despite being mostly held the following year, is the tournament in question.

Securing appropriate dates for the AFCON, a 24-team competition that was last won by hosts Ivory Coast in February, has become increasingly challenging, underscoring its importance in the football calendar.

Shifting to a mid-year schedule proved successful for the 2019 edition in the scorching heat of Egypt, as it avoided a clash with the European club seasons.

Matters Of Interest Ahead Of AFCON 2025

The two subsequent editions in Cameroon and the Ivory Coast had to be scheduled in January and February to avoid the rainy seasons in central and west Africa.

The 2025 AFCON qualifying draw is set for Johannesburg on July 4, with 48 hopefuls to be divided into 12 groups.

Morocco will participate to gain competitive match practice, although they are already guaranteed a spot at the 24-team finals as hosts.

The AFCON is held every two years, unlike the four-yearly European Championship, Copa America, and Asian Cup, as it generates most of the CAF revenue.

In a recent TV interview, Motsepe mentioned that CAF made an $80 million (€75 million) profit from the last AFCON, hosted by the Ivory Coast earlier this year.

This marked a significant increase from previous editions, which had an average profit of about four million dollars, according to the South African billionaire.

WAFCON

The 2024 Women’s AFCON (WAFCON) has been postponed and rescheduled to take place in Morocco from July 5-26 next year.

New dates will also need to be arranged for the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which was initially planned for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda this year.

There has been no news from CAF regarding a second edition of the African Football League (AFL), which was initially known as the African Super League.

The AFL was intended to be a 24-club mini-league and knockout competition featuring the highest-ranked clubs in the continent.