FIFA has officially announced December 15 as the release date for players heading to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, offering much-needed relief to European clubs concerned about losing key players too early in the season.
The revised date grants clubs an extra week with their African stars before they join their national teams for pre-tournament preparations. The decision comes after discussions involving FIFA, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and several football stakeholders, all working to balance club schedules with national team obligations.
This adjustment is expected to help teams across major European leagues, where the December fixture list is notoriously congested and often decisive in title races and continental qualification battles.
The 2025 AFCON, set to hold in Morocco, will gather the continent’s strongest national sides for one of the year’s most anticipated competitions.
For Nigeria, the ruling means Super Eagles players like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and others will remain available for club duty deeper into the busy festive period before heading off to join the national team.
Despite the shift, major clubs including Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United will still have to cope with the temporary loss of their influential African players once the tournament kicks off.
