As much as 43 Premier League gamers may miss a part of this season to play on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and new Manchester United signing Bryan Mbuemo are among the many largest Premier League names set to characteristic on the competitors.
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Afcon, held biennially, has traditionally posed choice challenges for golf equipment throughout winter fixtures, with star gamers quickly unavailable.
The following version of the match, going down in Morocco, lasts for 4 weeks from Sunday, 21 December 2025 to Sunday, 18 January 2026.
Fifty gamers from African nations at the moment play within the Premier League however, with Ghana, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau all failing to qualify, Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo are amongst 4 gamers who won’t characteristic on the competitors.
Three African Premier League gamers have already been not noted of their respective nations’ squads – Yoane Wissa, Blondy Nna Noukeu and Jackson Tchatchoua.
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Six rounds of Premier League fixtures are as a result of happen between these dates, in addition to the third spherical of the FA Cup and the semi-final first legs of the EFL Cup, that means that there’s a whole of eight matches some gamers might miss.
Which gamers might be chosen?
Within the 2024-25 Premier League season, African trio Mohamed Salah, Bryan Mbeumo (pictured) and Yoane Wissa all featured within the competitors’s high 9 goalscorers [Getty Images]
In addition to Salah and Mbeumo, a number of different essential gamers might be known as up by their nations for this yr’s Afcon.
Alongside Salah, Egypt have additionally named Manchester Metropolis ahead Omar Marmoush of their provisional squad.
The Democratic Republic of Congo have left Newcastle ahead Yoane Wissa out of their squad, with Wissa not that includes up to now for the Magpies this season due to harm.
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Everton midfielders Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye are each Senegal internationals, as is new West Ham left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Tottenham midfielders Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr may play for Mali and Senegal, respectively.
Which golf equipment are affected essentially the most?
Sunderland may have as many as eight of their gamers at Afcon.
Wolves are one other staff who may see a number of squad members head to the match, with 4 gamers who might get chosen.
Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, who may even have European soccer to additionally negotiate this season, every have 4 gamers who might characteristic at Afcon.
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Brighton are the one membership to have a number of African gamers that can’t characteristic at Afcon because of the gamers’ nations not qualifying.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds at the moment would not have an African participant of their squads.
Which nations are finest represented?
Sunderland’s summer season signing Simon Adingra was named finest younger participant on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (performed in 2024) [Getty Images]
Of the 24 nations at Afcon, 15 have not less than one participant from their nation at a Premier League membership.
Nigeria is at the moment the preferred African nation within the Premier League, with 9 gamers in English top-flight golf equipment.
Ivory Coast and Senegal are the following hottest with six gamers every at the moment at Premier League golf equipment.
There are 5 Premier League gamers from DR Congo and three from Cameroon.
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Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa and Mozambique all have one every.
Which Premier League gamers are positively going?
Presently, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa have confirmed their squads forward of Afcon.
It signifies that six Premier League gamers have up to now been confirmed to characteristic on the match.
Brighton: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon)
Burnley: Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa),
Sunderland: Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo)
West Ham: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)
Which Premier League gamers usually are not going?
Arsenal: No African gamers in present first-team squad
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Chelsea: No African gamers in present first-team squad
Leeds: No African gamers in present first-team squad
Newcastle: Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
Sunderland: Blondy Nna Noukeu (Cameroon)
Wolves: Jackson Tchatchoua (Cameroon)
African gamers whose nations haven’t certified for Afcon: Antoine Semenyo (Ghana and Bournemouth), Yankuba Minteh (Gambia and Brighton), Beto (Guinea-Bissau and Everton), Mohammed Kudus (Ghana and Tottenham)
This text is the most recent from BBC Sport’s staff.
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