Premier League players at Africa Cup of Nations 2025: The teams with the most stars at the Africa Cup of Nations and when they will return originally appeared on Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
The Africa Cup of Nations begins in December and runs until mid-January 2026.
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The tournament in Morocco was originally scheduled to take place in June and July 2025, but was moved to the northern hemisphere winter to avoid conflicting with the new FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
The African Cup of Nations takes place in the middle of the Premier League season, which means that, like the previous edition, the top flight will lose some of its star players who have been called up by their national teams.
Below, Sporting News reports which players will be heading to Morocco and which teams will be hardest hit by their absence.
More:Africa Cup of Nations 2025 Groups, Schedule and More | Most African Cup of Nations Winners
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Premier League players taking part in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
As of December 13, 31 Premier League players have confirmed their participation in the African Cup of Nations.
The table below details which players have been called up by their national teams and the earliest date they can return to their clubs.
Algeria
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Rayan Ait-Noori |
Manchester City |
December 14: Crystal Palace (guest) |
January 4: Chelsea (H) |
Burkina Faso
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Dango Ouattara |
brentford |
December 14: Leeds United (H) |
January 4: Everton (away) |
|
Bertrand Traore |
Sunderland |
December 14: Newcastle (H) |
January 4: Tottenham Hotspur (away) |
Cameroon
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Brian Mbemo |
Manchester United |
December 8: Wolves (away) – To be determined |
January 4: Leeds United (away) |
|
Carlos Baleba |
brighton |
December 13: Liverpool (away) |
January 3: Burnley (H) |
Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Arthur Masuaku |
Sunderland |
December 14: Newcastle (H) |
January 4: Tottenham Hotspur (away) |
|
Noah Sadiki |
Sunderland |
December 14: Newcastle (H) |
January 4: Tottenham Hotspur (away) |
|
Axel Tuanzebe |
burnley |
December 13: Fulham (H) |
January 3: Brighton (away) |
|
Aaron Wan-Bissaka |
west ham united |
December 14: Aston Villa (away) |
January 3: Wolves (away) |
Egypt
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Omar Mamouch |
Manchester City |
December 14: Crystal Palace (guest) |
January 4: Chelsea (H) |
|
Mohamed Salah |
liverpool |
December 13: Brighton (H) |
January 4: Fulham (away) |
Cote d’Ivoire
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Emmanuel Abado |
Wolves |
December 14: Arsenal (H) |
January 3: West Ham United (H) |
|
Amad Diallo |
Manchester United |
December 8: Wolves (away) – To be determined |
January 4: Leeds United (away) |
|
Willie Boley |
north woods |
December 14: Tottenham Hotspur (H) |
January 3: Aston Villa (away) |
|
Ibrahim Sangare |
north woods |
December 14: Tottenham Hotspur (H) |
January 3: Aston Villa (away) |
Mali
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Yves Bissouma |
tottenham hotspur |
December 14: North Forest (guest) |
January 4: Sunderland (H) |
Morocco
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Nusair Mazrawi |
Manchester United |
December 8: Wolves (away) |
January 4: Leeds United (away) |
|
Kemsdine Talby |
Sunderland |
December 14: Newcastle (H) |
January 4: Tottenham Hotspur (away) |
Mozambique
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Renildo Mandava |
Sunderland |
December 14: Newcastle (H) |
January 4: Tottenham Hotspur (away) |
Nigeria
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Calvin Bassey |
fulham |
December 13: Burnley (away) |
January 4: Liverpool (H) |
|
Samuel Chukwitz |
fulham |
December 13: Burnley (away) |
January 4: Liverpool (H) |
|
Alex Iwobi |
fulham |
December 13: Burnley (away) |
January 4: Liverpool (H) |
|
Frank Onyeka |
brentford |
December 14: Leeds United (H) |
January 4: Everton (away) |
Senegal
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Haji Malik Diouf |
west ham united |
December 14: Aston Villa (away) |
January 3: Wolves (away) |
|
Idrissa Ghana Gay |
everton |
December 13: Chelsea (away) |
January 4: Brentford (H) |
|
Habib Diarra |
Sunderland |
December 14: Newcastle (H) |
January 4: Tottenham Hotspur (away) |
|
Pappu Matar Sal |
tottenham hotspur |
December 14: Nottingham Forest (away) |
January 4: Sunderland (H) |
|
Ismaila Sal |
crystal palace |
December 14: Manchester City (H) |
January 4: Newcastle (away) |
|
Iliman Ndiaye |
everton |
December 13: Chelsea (away) |
January 4: Brentford (H) |
South Africa
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Lyle Foster |
burnley |
December 13: Fulham (H) |
January 3: Brighton (away) |
Tunisia
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Hannibal Mejbrey |
burnley |
December 13: Fulham (H) |
January 3: Brighton (away) |
Zimbabwe
|
player |
club |
last game |
Earliest possible return date |
|
Tawanda Chirewa |
Wolves |
December 13: Arsenal (H) |
January 3: West Ham United (H) |
The team with the most stars in the Africa Cup of Nations
The team with the most players participating in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is Sunderland, who will lose six players as things stand.
-
Burnley, Fulham, Manchester United: 3
-
Brentford, Burnley, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Wolves: 2
-
Aston Villa, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City: 1
2025 African Cup of Nations opening and closing dates
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off with host Morocco facing off against Comoros Sunday, December 21.
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The competition continues until the final January 18, 2026.
More:2025 Africa Cup of Nations dates confirmed