Nigerian and other African internationals preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will remain available to their clubs for an extra week after FIFA confirmed that players will now be released no later than December 15. This comes as a major relief to European clubs..
The decision means Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and others heading to Morocco for the tournament will stay with their clubs deeper into the festive fixture schedule.
Before Wednesday’s announcement, clubs feared losing their African players as early as December 8, a situation that had drawn strong complaints from several European teams.
FIFA, in a statement obtained by our correspondent, said the new date followed “fruitful consultations” with key stakeholders. The global body noted that CAF displayed “a spirit of solidarity” by agreeing to push the release date one week later. FIFA also urged clubs and national associations to hold “good faith bilateral discussions” to manage potential disagreements over player availability.
The adjustment is particularly significant for Premier League and top European clubs with large African contingents, who had feared being without key players for up to eight matches during the busiest period of the season.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will still lose important African players, but for a shorter period. Liverpool will release Mohamed Salah, City will be without Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri, while United will lose Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui. Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds will be unaffected.
Several Nigerian internationals will also leave gaps for their European clubs. Fulham will be without Iwobi, Bassey and the in-form Chukwueze, while Brentford lose Frank Onyeka. Wolves face the absence of striker Tolu Arokodare, and Atalanta will release star forward Ademola Lookman, who is currently enjoying one of the best spells of his career.
Other withdrawals include Osimhen of Galatasaray; Chidera Ejuke and Akor Adams of Sevilla; and Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge.
The revised release date allows players extra time to complete crucial club matches before linking up with their national teams ahead of the competition, which runs December 21 to January 18.
Heavyweights such as Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Senegal are expected to challenge strongly for the title in Morocco. The timing adjustment also gives national team coaches slightly more continuity as they prepare for Africa’s biggest football showpiece, featuring 24 competing nations.
