The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the announcement on Friday after a virtual executive committee meeting at their Cairo headquarters.
Motsepe expressed confidence that the tournament will be a huge success, stating, "I am confident that the CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 will be extremely successful and the best AFCON in the history of this competition."
“The immense growth of women’s football in Africa is also impressive, and I expect the CAF TotalEnergies WAFCON Morocco 2024 to be equally successful.”
The new dates aim to avoid clashes with the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States and the UEFA Champions League in Europe.
However, the schedule may conflict with the Premier League's festive period, potentially causing issues for English clubs with African players.
The qualifying draw for the 2025 AFCON is set for July 4 in Johannesburg, with 48 teams vying for a spot in the 24-team finals.
Morocco, as hosts, will participate in the qualifiers for competitive match practice but has a guaranteed spot in the finals.
CAF has also postponed the 2024 Women's AFCON (WAFCON) to July 5-26, 2024, in Morocco.
New dates are yet to be announced for the African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda this year.
The AFCON is a crucial revenue source for CAF, with the last edition in the Ivory Coast generating an $80 million profit, a significant increase from previous editions.
