AFCON 2025 Potential Delay Due To Club World Cup Clash, CAF Confirms

The 2025 men's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) may be postponed by six months due to scheduling conflicts, confirmed CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba. Initially set for June 2025 in Morocco, the tournament now faces a clash with the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the United States, scheduled from June 15 to July 13, which will feature four African teams.

"For the men, we need to make sure that the dates that we'll be choosing will be in the interests of the players," Mosengo-Omba told BBC Sport Africa. "For this, we need to balance different aspects and also discuss with our partners and then we complete [the dates]. Scheduling is a nightmare for everybody."

Mosengo-Omba highlighted the challenges of scheduling AFCON immediately after the Club World Cup. "We can play after the Club World Cup, but is this good for the interests of the players who have played all the season, and then they travel to America [and then] to immediately come to play AFCON?" he questioned.

The CAF general secretary also mentioned an impending update on the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament faces potential scheduling issues due to the upcoming Olympic Games. "We are supposed to play this year, but we have teams engaged in the Olympics, so we have to find another date," he said.

Mosengo-Omba added that discussions are ongoing with UEFA, as many players are based in Europe, as well as with the European Club Association and FIFA to find a suitable date for the women's tournament.

The men's AFCON was initially planned for June 2025 in Morocco. However, it now conflicts with the Club World Cup in the United States from June 15 to July 13. The women's AFCON also faces potential clashes with the Olympic Games.

The CAF is working diligently to resolve these scheduling conflicts by engaging with various stakeholders. The aim is to ensure that both tournaments can proceed without compromising player welfare or logistical feasibility.

Further updates on new dates for both tournaments are expected soon as discussions progress with relevant organisations and partners.