When do players leave for AFCON? Africa Cup of Nations stars’ last Premier League games and return dates
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations begins in Rabat on Sunday, December 21.
Ivory Coast will defend the title they won in the 2023 final against Nigeria.
Twenty-four teams contest one of the most coveted trophies in international football across a month of competition in Morocco.
However, for many Premier League fans, their first instinct when AFCON comes into view is to anxiously glance over the fixture list.
Several of Africa’s leading players ply their trade in England’s top flight, which means some Premier League clubs will be without key men for several weeks.
Here’s everything you need to know about which Premier League players are heading to AFCON, when they are leaving and when they might return.
MORE: AFCON 2025 teams, groups, match schedule, bracket and more
When do players leave for AFCON?
FIFA has set Monday, December 15 as the mandatory date for all clubs to release players called up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament begins when hosts Morocco face Comoros on Sunday, December 21.
It means that most Premier League clubs will bid farewell to their African internationals after matches on the weekend of December 13/14.
However, Manchester United host Bournemouth at Old Trafford on December 15. Both clubs have players who have been named in AFCON squads, and as of Friday, December 12, it was unclear whether teams would grant special dispensation to allow the likes of Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo to play in the game.
Premier League AFCON stars’ last games and when they return
The first date circled for Premier League fans is the end of the group stage, which wraps between December 29-31.
However, the tournament format means only eight teams will be eliminated at this point, with most players involved set to spend at least the first week of January in Morocco.
Burkina Faso
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateDango OuattaraBrentfordDec 14: Leeds (H)Jan 4: Everton (A)Bertrand TraoreSunderlandDec 14: Newcastle (H) Jan 4: Tottenham (A)
Cameroon
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateBryan MbeumoMan UnitedDec 8: Wolves (A) – TBCJan 4: Leeds (A)Carlos BalebaBrightonDec 13: Liverpool (A) Jan 3: Burnley (H)
DR Congo
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateArthur MasuakuSunderlandDec 14: Newcastle (H)Jan 4: Tottenham (A)Noah SadikiSunderlandDec 14: Newcastle (H) Jan 4: Tottenham (A)Axel TuanzebeBurnleyDec 13: Fulham (H)Jan 3: Brighton (A) Aaron Wan-BissakaWest HamDec 14: Aston Villa (A)Jan 3: Wolves (A)
Egypt
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateOmar MarmoushMan CityDec 14: Crystal Palace (A)Jan 4: Chelsea (H)Mohamed SalahLiverpoolDec 13: Brighton (H) Jan 4: Fulham (A)
Ivory Coast
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateEmmanuel AgbadouWolvesDec 14: Arsenal (H)Jan 3: West Ham (H)Amad Diallo Man UnitedDec 8: Wolves (A) – TBCJan 4: Leeds (A)Willy BolyN. ForestDec 14: Tottenham (H)Jan 3: Aston Villa (A)Ibrahim SangareN. ForestDec 14: Tottenham (H)Jan 3: Aston Villa (A)
Mali
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateYves BissoumaTottenhamDec 14: N. Forest (A)Jan 4: Sunderland (H)
Morocco
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateNoussair MazraouiMan UnitedDec 8: Wolves (A)Jan 4: Leeds (A)Chemsdine TalbiSunderlandDec 14: Newcastle (H)Jan 4: Tottenham (A)
Mozambique
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateReinildo MandavaSunderlandDec 14: Newcastle (H)Jan 4: Tottenham (A)
Nigeria
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateCalvin BasseyFulhamDec 13: Burnley (A)Jan 4: Liverpool (H)Samuel ChukwuezeFulhamDec 13: Burnley (A)Jan 4: Liverpool (H)Alex IwobiFulhamDec 13: Burnley (A)Jan 4: Liverpool (H)Frank OnyekaBrentfordDec 14: Leeds (H)Jan 4: Everton (A)
Senegal
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateEl Hadji Malick DioufWest HamDec 14: Aston Villa (A)Jan 3: Wolves (A)Idrissa Gana GueyeEvertonDec 13: Chelsea (A)Jan 4: Brentford (H)Habib DiarraSunderlandDec 14: Newcastle (H)Jan 4: Tottenham (A)Pape Matar SarrTottenhamDec 14: Nottingham Forest (A)Jan 4: Sunderland (H)Ismaila SarrCrystal PalaceDec 14: Man City (H)Jan 4: Newcastle (A)Iliman NdiayeEvertonDec 13: Chelsea (A)Jan 4: Brentford (H)
South Africa
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateLyle FosterBurnleyDec 13: Fulham (H)Jan 3: Brighton (A)
Tunisia
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateHannibal MejbriBurnleyDec 13: Fulham (H)Jan 3: Brighton (A)
Zimbabwe
PlayerClubLast gameEarliest possible return dateTawanda ChirewaWolvesDec 13: Arsenal (H)Jan 3: West Ham (H)
