FIFA extends deadline for clubs to release players for AFCON by one week

Prominent footballers including Mohamed Salah, Bryan Mbeumo, and Achraf Hakimi can remain with their teams for an additional week up to 15 December prior to reporting for duty with their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations, according to FIFA's announcement on Wednesday.

Leading clubs in Europe, like Liverpool where Salah plays, Manchester United for Mbeumo, and Paris Saint-Germain featuring Hakimi, will be deprived of these important squad members for as long as five weeks during the 24-team event in Morocco running from 21 December to 18 January.

However, concerns over a potentially longer absence were alleviated when FIFA updated its regulations to ease the burden on teams by pushing back the departure date by seven days.

This adjustment followed productive talks initiated by FIFA involving major parties, supported by the cooperative approach from CAF, the body organising the competition, as noted in FIFA's official release.

FIFA further stated that it would promote sincere negotiations between national federations in the 2025 AFCON and the clubs letting go of their players to reach tailored agreements.

Prior to this change, athletes were obligated to join international squads by 8 December, which would have left Premier League sides short of essential personnel for up to seven or eight fixtures amid a demanding schedule.

The timing of the event poses challenges for teams such as in-form Sunderland, potentially missing seven players, and struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers, who might lose five.

For Liverpool, the absence of Egyptian striker Salah is expected, while Manchester City copes without teammate Omar Marmoush and Algerian defender Rayan Aït-Nouri; Manchester United faces the departure of Cameroonian Bryan Mbeumo, Ivorian winger Amad Diallo, and Moroccan defender Noussair Mazraoui.

In contrast, top sides Arsenal, Chelsea, and Leeds face no disruptions.

PSG, the French and European title holders, will miss Hakimi, the current African footballer of the year, yet powerhouses like Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Juventus remain untouched.

Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson from Bayern Munich, currently loaned from Chelsea, will participate but barely skip Bundesliga action thanks to the league's festive pause from 22 December to 8 January.

Among the leading contenders are Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Senegal.