Compromise Eases Club Fears, Allows Salah, Hakimi, and Others an Extra Week of Domestic Duty
In a move welcomed by top European clubs, FIFA announced Wednesday that star players selected for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will now join their national teams a week later than originally scheduled. The decision means athletes like Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, and Bryan Mbeumo can feature for their clubs until December 15.
The tournament, hosted in Morocco from December 21 to January 18, had posed a significant challenge for clubs facing the loss of vital talent for up to five weeks during a packed season. Clubs had feared an even longer absence, with the initial FIFA rule requiring players to depart by December 8, potentially sidelining them for seven or eight critical league matches.
Following what it called “fruitful consultations” with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), FIFA amended its policy to “soften the blow.” The governing body stated the change came “thanks to the spirit of solidarity demonstrated by CAF to reduce the impact on various parties.”
This adjustment offers breathing room for teams heavily reliant on African talent. Liverpool, for instance, will now have top scorer Mohamed Salah available a little longer before he departs for Egypt. Similarly, Paris Saint-Germain retains Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi, the current African Footballer of the Year, for an extra week.
The impact varies across leagues. English sides like Manchester United, Manchester City, and Wolverhampton Wanderers will still feel the strain, losing multiple players. However, the delayed release mitigates some of the disruption during a hectic festive fixture list.
FIFA also encouraged national associations and clubs to hold “good faith bilateral discussions” to find flexible solutions for individual players where possible. Meanwhile, clubs with few or no AFCON participants, such as Arsenal, Chelsea, and most top Spanish and Italian sides, will be unaffected.
As continental heavyweights like Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Senegal prepare to compete, their European clubs have, at least, secured a valuable week more with their stars.
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