The next Africa Cup of Nations will be played in Morocco from December 21 2025 to January 18, 2026, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe said on Friday.”I am confident that the CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 will be extremely successful and the best AFCON in the history of this competition,” he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_8173413##CAF held a virtual executive committee at their headquarters in Cairo on Friday evening after which Motsepe made the announcement.Originally scheduled for June and July 2025, the AFCON was moved to avoid a clash with the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 15 to July 13 next year.An added challenge for CAF officials was the desire to avoid a clash of dates with the UEFA Champions League in Europe.AFCON dates causing problems for the Premier LeagueMatchday six of the elite European club competition ends on December 11, 2025, and matchday seven begins on January 21, 2026.However, the new dates are sure to upset many Premier League clubs as the Christmas-New Year period is frenetic with teams playing many matches in a short period.English media reports have suggested clubs might not release African stars as they are compelled to do so for only one international championship per year and the next World Cup is in 2026.CAF could argue that it is the 2025 AFCON, although most of the tournament will be staged the following year.Finding suitable dates for the AFCON, a 24-nation tournament won by hosts Ivory Coast last February, has become increasingly difficult.Harambee Stars to discover 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers opponents in JulyA switch to mid-year worked for the 2019 edition in the searing heat of Egypt in so far as it avoided a clash with the European club seasons.The 2024 Women’s AFCON (AWCON) has also been postponed and will now be played in Morocco from July 5-26 next year.New dates will also have to be found for the African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda this year.Not even the qualifying draw has been made for a competition restricted to home-based footballers and won by Senegal in Algeria last year, and CAF have not explained the delay.🚨 The dates have been announced. 🚨🏆 TotalEnergies AFCON 2025📍Morocco📆 Opening game: 21 December 2025📆 Final game: 18 January 2026. pic.twitter.com/N11JAeDjSe— CAF (@CAF_Online) June 21, 2024 © Agence France-Presse
