An already busy football schedule in 2025/26 is likely to become even more hectic thanks to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) moving from December to January, and the expanded plans for the 2026 World Cup.
How could AFCON impact Tottenham?
In recent years, domestic football campaigns have been disrupted by COVID-19 and a winter World Cup, as well as the standard strain of European cup competitions and international breaks.
Most teams in the Premier League suffered a mass of injury issues last season, with Spurs losing a number of players between November and January.
Throughout January, the Lilywhites were also without both Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr, who participated in the AFCON, while skipper Heung-min Son competed in the Asian Cup.
Those absences are only going to be more severe in the 2025/26 campaign by the looks of things, with AFCON taking place once more, and the 2026 World Cup expanding to 32 teams.
AFCON and World Cup 2026 set to clash
As per a report from Independent, the decision to move AFCON from December to January in 2026 due to the Club World Cup, could leave Premier League clubs able to push back against the release of their players, unless FIFA changes some rules.
As it stands, clubs are only obligated to let their players take part in one international tournament per year. With the new proposed schedule, both AFCON and the World Cup would take place just months apart, in January and June of 2026.
Premier League clubs are naturally reluctant to let their players leave for extended international duty for both tournaments, but are also wary of the idea of AFCON taking up time in December and disrupting the already congested Christmas schedule.
Between the expanded World Cup and the uncertainty over the dates of AFCON, it seems something has got to give, and rule changes may occur.
Spurs Web Opinion
These football schedules are getting out of hand, to be honest.
As a fan, it’s great to see football on the calendar regularly, but the players are exhausted and they are telling the governing bodies this, so something has to change.
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