Premier League to lose 31 players to AFCON 2025
Not less than 31 African players are set to depart the Premier League after this weekend round of matches for their respective national teams to participate in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to run from December 21 until January 18.
Premier League to lose 31 players to AFCON 2025
Not less than 31 African players are set to depart the Premier League after this weekend round of matches for their respective national teams to participate in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to run from December 21 until January 18.
Chelsea, Leeds United, Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Arsenal are the only teams without any players jetting off to Morocco in a few dys.
However, 2025/26 surprise package Sunderland and relegation-battling Wolverhampton Wanderers are among the teams that will lose the most players to the tournament.
These players could miss up to six games in all competitions, depending on how their countries perform at AFCON 2025. Read on as we look at which teams will lose players this month.
Sunderland has taken the Premier League by storm this season, but that momentum could take a nose-dive over the festive period as six of its players will leave for the tournament.
Morocco winger, Chemsdine Talbi, Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra, Mozambique full-back Reinildo, Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore and DR Congo pair Arthur Masuaku and Noah Sadiki are all set to represent their countries this winter.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have only taken two points from 15 league games and are on course to record the worst points tally in Premier League history with two players out during the period.
The Midlands club could lose two players to AFCON, with only Zimbabwe midfielder Tawanda Chirewa and Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Agbadou set to jet off to Morocco.
Manchester United has turned a corner under Ruben Amorim, but ’ll be without Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo, and Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui over the festive period.
Fulham has become a safe haven for Nigerian players over the past couple of years, and will have to navigate the festive period without midfielder Alex Iwobi, defender Calvin Bassey, and winger Samuel Chukwueze.
Iwobi and Bassey are first-team regulars for the Cottagers, while Chukwueze’s recent form has made him more popular among the fans at the West London club.
Relegation battling Burnley will lose three players to AFCON, with former England Under-21 defender Axel Tuanzebe set to feature for DR Congo at the tournament.
Striker Lyle Foster and midfielder Hannibal Mejbri have also been called up by South Africa and Tunisia, respectively.
Nottingham Forest has been on the upswing since Sean Dyche stepped in, but will also be affected by AFCON, with two players set to leave the squad.
Ivory Coast duo Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly have been called up, but Nigerian internationals Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi have been left out.
Everton has raised a few eyebrows this season as it looks to push for a place in Europe under David Moyes’ leadership.
The team’ll have to further those ambitions without Senegalese duo Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye through the festive period.
Brentford will lose two players to AFCON. Club-record signing Dango Ouattara will be on duty with Burkina Faso, while Frank Onyeka has been named in the Nigerian squad.
Title-chasing Manchester City will lose Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush and Algerian defender Rayan Ait-Nouri to AFCON. Neither has established themselves as first-team regulars.
Tottenham Hotspur will miss two midfielders during the AFCON tournament, with Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma set to represent Senegal and Mali, respectively.
Nuno Espirito Santo has overseen a resurgence at West Ham United that has improved the chances of avoiding relegation.However, he has to find a solution to his defensive line-up with starting full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf set to feature for DR Congo and Senegal, respectively.
Brighton & Hove Albion must find a way to cope without highly sought-after midfielder Carlos Baleba, who is set to represent Cameroon at AFCON.The 21-year-old has started nearly every game for Brighton this season.
FA Cup holder, Crystal Palace has several African players in the squad, but Oliver Glasner’s side will only lose Ismaila Sarr to AFCON.
It will be a significant blow, given that Sarr has scored eight goals across all competitions for the Eagles this season.
Liverpool fans may be happy to see the back of Mohamed Salah, who is set to join the Egyptian national team at AFCON after his blockbuster interview.He has already been isolated from the Liverpool squad, and his future at the club could be decided in the coming weeks.