Nigerian and other African players heading to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will now remain with their clubs for one more week, following FIFA’s confirmation that the official release date has been adjusted to December 15.
This latest decision, announced on Wednesday, comes as a major relief for European clubs that had raised concerns over losing key players too early during the congested festive fixtures.
Under the new arrangement, Super Eagles stars including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey will be available longer for club commitments before departing for the tournament in Morocco.
Before the revision, clubs were bracing for the possibility of releasing their African players as early as December 8, a timeline that had triggered strong objections across several top European leagues.
In its statement, FIFA explained that the adjustment followed “fruitful consultations” with all relevant football bodies, adding that CAF displayed “a spirit of solidarity” by agreeing to the one-week shift.
The world football governing body also encouraged national federations and clubs to engage in “good faith bilateral discussions” to avoid unnecessary disputes over player availability.
The new release date offers significant relief to Premier League and other European clubs heavily dependent on African talent, as many feared they would be without key players for up to eight matches during the busiest period of the season.
Although clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will still lose important African internationals, the reduced absence is expected to ease some of the pressure during the packed December schedule.
