The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced significant changes to its tournament schedules, with the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) set for a winter slot and the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) pushed back by several months.
Morocco will host the 2025 Afcon from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, marking the first time the tournament will span the Christmas and New Year period. This scheduling places the 24-team competition in direct conflict with European league fixtures, particularly the Premier League’s busy festive program.
The decision also positions Afcon between UEFA Champions League match rounds, potentially creating tensions over player releases. CAF President Patrice Motsepe acknowledged the complexity of these decisions, citing “complex and at times challenging discussions” with interested parties.
For the women’s game, the 2024 Wafcon has been postponed to July 5-26, 2025, also to be held in Morocco. This delay has raised concerns about CAF’s commitment to women’s football, especially given that qualifying rounds were completed in December 2023.
Caf president Patrice Motespe said announcing the dates for the 2025 Afcon took “much longer than expected” because of “complex and at times challenging discussions” with interested parties.
“Caf is committed to protecting and advancing the interests of African players playing in clubs in Europe and worldwide,” he added.
“We will continue to make significant progress in developing and ensuring that African football is globally competitive and amongst the best in the world.”
The scheduling changes reflect the growing congestion in the international football calendar. FIFA’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup, set for the summer of 2025, left CAF with limited options for Afcon. The new dates may lead to conflicts with European clubs over player releases, as FIFA regulations could allow teams to block players from participating in both Afcon and the 2026 World Cup.
In the women’s game, the Wafcon delay has raised questions about the prioritization of women’s football in Africa. The postponement comes after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the men’s 2021 tournament was merely postponed.
Motsepe emphasized CAF’s commitment to protecting and advancing the interests of African players in European and global clubs. He also expressed confidence in the continued growth of women’s football on the continent, stating his expectation for the 2024 Wafcon to be “immensely successful.”
The qualifying group draw for Afcon 2025 is scheduled for July 4, with matches to be played in September, October, and November 2024. As the football world adapts to these changes, all eyes will be on how CAF balances the competing interests of various stakeholders while striving to elevate African football on the global stage.
