FIFA has revised its player release regulations for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), following sustained pressure from European football clubs.
The football governing body has authorized an exemption to its standard rule, which typically mandates clubs to release players for international duty 14 days before a major tournament.
For the 2025 AFCON, clubs will now be permitted to retain their African internationals until December 15, 2025, or just seven days prior to the competition’s opening match.
This compromise, while appeasing European clubs facing a congested fixture calendar, has provoked several African national teams. Officials argue that the shortened preparation window undermines their competitive preparations.
The grievance centers on the loss of critical training time. National team coaches will be deprived of the opportunity to conduct full-scale training camps or schedule preparatory friendlies with their complete squads, as many star players will arrive only days before the tournament begins.
This late integration is seen as a substantial handicap, potentially disrupting tactical training and squad cohesion ahead of the AFCON
The decision highlights the persistent and growing conflict between the commercial and scheduling demands of elite European club football and the traditional calendar of international tournaments. The 2025 AFCON, therefore, begins under a cloud of dispute, with national teams forced to adapt their preparations to a framework that many believe favors club interests.