As you’ll no doubt be aware, the biennial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicks off very soon.
The 2025 edition of the tournament starts on December 21, putting it on a collision course with the busiest time of the Premier League campaign.
The deadline for naming final squads was on December 11, although Algeria and Senegal pushed their announcements back two days to Saturday.
In this article, we round up who is going away with their respective countries – and who is missing out.
WHEN IS AFCON 2025?
AFCON will take place between Sunday 21 December 2025 and Sunday 18 January 2026.
That covers Gameweeks 17 to 22 in FPL:
A group stage exit could see players return as soon as Gameweek 20.
But those making it through to the knockout rounds look set to miss up to five Gameweeks, even if they bow out in the last 16.
Going all the way to the semi-finals means sitting out six Gameweeks, as there’s a third/fourth-place play-off to contest, too.
WHEN DO PLAYERS HAVE TO REPORT TO THEIR COUNTRIES?
The mandatory release day for players is Monday 15 December.
The vast majority, possibly all, of the Premier League’s AFCON-bound players will therefore still be available for selection in Gameweek 16 – and leave thereafter.
On Friday, we’ll hopefully get clarification on where Manchester United and Bournemouth players stand. Those two clubs face off at Old Trafford on Monday night.
AFCON 2025: PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS CALLED UP
Here is a club-by-club guide as to which FPL assets have been named in their countries’ squads.
ARSENALASTON VILLABOURNEMOUTHBRENTFORDDango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)BRIGHTONCarlos Baleba (Cameroon)BURNLEYAxel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)CHELSEAC PALACEIsmaila Sarr (Senegal)EVERTONIdrissa Gueye (Senegal), Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal)FULHAMCalvin Bassey (Nigeria), Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria)LEEDSLIVERPOOLMohamed Salah (Egypt)MAN CITYOmar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)MAN UTDBryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)NEWCASTLENOTTM FORESTWilly Boly (Ivory Coast), Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast)SUNDERLANDBertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique), Habib Diarra (Senegal)TOTTENHAMYves Bissouma (Mali), Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)WEST HAMAaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo), El Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal)WOLVESEmmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast), Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe)
NOT CALLED UP
A number of eligible players didn’t get call-ups.
Injuries affecting Cheick Doucoure (£4.9m), Chadi Riad (£4.0m), Marshall Munetsi (£5.4m), Ola Aina (£4.7m) and Taiwo Awoniyi (£5.2m) explain their absences.
And, while Yoane Wissa (£7.3m) has returned now, months on the sidelines has effectively cost him his place in the DR Congo squad.
A handful of others simply weren’t selected – and no surprise that it’s a group of players that have struggled to make an impact at their respective clubs.
They are Jackson Tchatchoua (£4.5m), Evann Guessand (£6.2m), Simon Adingra (£5.0m), Amine Adli (£5.4m), Adam Aznou (£4.3m), Christantus Uche (£5.5m) and Tolu Arokadare (£5.4m).
THEIR COUNTRIES DIDN’T QUALIFY
Finally, you may have noticed a lack of mention for some high-profile African players in this article.
That’s because their nations didn’t even make it to AFCON 2025.
Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and, most surprisingly of all, Ghana were among the countries that didn’t progress through qualification.
Yankuba Minteh (£6.2m), Beto (£5.1m), Antoine Semenyo (£7.6m) and Mohammed Kudus (£6.5m), amongst others, get to stay with their clubs, then.
