Former Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has raised concerns about the timing of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, citing the challenges it presents for African players.
The new dates for the tournament, scheduled for December 2025 and January 2026, were announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following a recent Executive Council meeting. Agyemang-Badu highlighted the difficulty faced by top African players based in Europe who have to balance club commitments with missing the holiday season with their families.
Despite recognizing the tough situation, Agyemang-Badu emphasized the commitment of players to represent their countries and make them proud, regardless of the timing of the tournament.
Originally planned for June/July 2025, the rescheduling of the AFCON was due to Morocco hosting the expanded Club World Cup during that time frame. Alternative dates in early 2026 were also not feasible due to conflicts with the FIFA World Cup schedule.
Agyemang-Badu urged CAF to avoid such scheduling conflicts in the future, expressing hope that it would not reoccur as it could cause chaos for players.
The Ivory Coast currently holds the title of reigning African champions after winning the delayed 2023 tournament on home soil in February 2024.
Mindsets🙂 