AFCON 2025 postponed to early 2026 to avoid scheduling conflicts

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco has been postponed to early 2026, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced. The biennial tournament was initially scheduled for June 2025, but that timing would have clashed with the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup taking place in the United States from June 15 to July 13.

CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba cited player welfare as the main reason for the postponement. With several African teams qualifying for the Club World Cup, Mosengo-Omba questioned whether it would be fair to have players immediately transition from that competition to the intense AFCON tournament. 

The  most recent  Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament was held in 2024, with the final taking place on February 12th. The Ivory Coast national football team emerged as champions, defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the final.