Cape Town, South Africa – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced a significant shakeup to their tournament schedule on Wednesday. The highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), originally slated for June 2025 in Morocco, will be postponed by six months and rescheduled for early 2026.
This decision comes after a scheduling conflict arose with the expanded 32-team Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States from June 15th to July 13th, 2025. Africa will be sending four teams to the Club World Cup, and many of these players would also be crucial for their national teams in the AFCON.
The postponement is a setback for Morocco, who were looking forward to hosting the AFCON as a showcase for their growing tourism industry and a chance to demonstrate their capabilities before co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Portugal and Spain.
“We understand the disappointment this causes Morocco,” said CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba. “However, playing after the Club World Cup would put an immense strain on the players who would have already endured a long season. Scheduling these major tournaments fairly is a complex task.”
This isn’t the only scheduling headache for CAF. The organization is facing criticism for the lack of confirmed dates for the 2024 Women’s AFCON, also scheduled to be held in Morocco. Additionally, uncertainty surrounds the future of the African Football League, a new continental super league launched in 2023. The inaugural edition featured eight teams competing in a knockout format over two months, but the planned expansion to 24 teams for the next season seems to be on hold, with the Champions League and Confederation Cup group stages now occupying the previously allocated October-December window.
