The next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco could commence in mid-December to accommodate the expanded Club World Cup and the new Champions League format next year, the Guardian reports.
However, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has firmly denied claims that the competition may shift to a four-year cycle in the future.
Originally set for June and July 2025 to reduce conflicts with European clubs, Caf denied reports of moving the tournament to January 2026 due to the Club World Cup, scheduled in the U.S. from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
A final decision on the Afcon schedule is expected within two weeks. Leading figures in Morocco’s organizing committee push for a mid-December start, concluding mid-January.
This timing could clash with the Premier League’s busy festive period, as 17 of its 20 clubs had representatives in the last tournament in Ivory Coast.
The situation complicates further with two additional matchdays in the newly-expanded Champions League, affecting the traditional Afcon window.
Caf sources have not ruled out starting Afcon in December, despite ongoing stakeholder discussions. Initially, Caf reached a tentative agreement to hold the tournament from July 20 to August 17, 2025, backed by Fifa to avoid the Club World Cup clash.
However, this option now seems unlikely with negotiations still ongoing. If confirmed, the 2025 edition will be the seventh consecutive Afcon rescheduled from its original dates.
Caf’s head of media relations, Luxulo September, stated on X, “There is no Caf position or announcement on the dates for AFCON 2025. There are ongoing discus
