FULL LIST: 40 African players set to miss Premier League action for AFCON 2025

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to impact the Premier League significantly, with 40 players across 17 clubs expected to depart for the month-long tournament scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.

With AFCON taking place at the height of the European football season, several clubs will be without key first-team stars for up to six or seven matches, including league games and domestic cup fixtures.

Top contenders for this year’s competition include Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, and defending champions Ivory Coast.

Among Premier League clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds United are the only teams unaffected. Meanwhile, Sunderland and Wolves face the biggest losses, each sending multiple players to the tournament.

Here is the full list of Premier League players expected to participate in AFCON 2025:

Algeria

Rayan Aït-Nouri — Manchester City

Burkina Faso

Dango Ouattara — Brentford

Bertrand Traoré — Sunderland

Cameroon

Carlos Baleba — Brighton

Bryan Mbeumo — Manchester United

Jackson Tchatchoua — Wolves

DR Congo

Axel Tuanzebe — Burnley

Arthur Masuaku — Sunderland

Noah Sadiki — Sunderland

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Egypt

Mohamed Salah — Liverpool

Omar Marmoush — Manchester City

Ivory Coast

Evann Guessand — Aston Villa

Amad Diallo — Manchester United

Ibrahim Sangaré — Nottingham Forest

Willy Boly — Nottingham Forest

Simon Adingra — Sunderland

Emmanuel Agbadou — Wolves

Mali

Cheick Doucouré — Crystal Palace

Morocco

Amine Adli — Bournemouth

Chadi Riad — Crystal Palace

Adam Aznou — Everton

Noussair Mazraoui — Manchester United

Chemsdine Talbi — Sunderland

Mozambique

Reinildo Mandava — Sunderland

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Nigeria

Frank Onyeka — Brentford

Christantus Uche — Crystal Palace

Alex Iwobi — Fulham

Calvin Bassey — Fulham

Samuel Chukwueze — Fulham

Tolu Arokodare — Wolves

Senegal

Ismaila Sarr — Crystal Palace

Iliman Ndiaye — Everton

Idrissa Gueye — Everton

Habib Diarra — Sunderland

Pape Matar Sarr — Tottenham

El Hadji Malick Diouf — West Ham

South Africa

Lyle Foster — Burnley

Tunisia

Hannibal Mejbri — Burnley

Zimbabwe

Marshall Munetsi — Wolves

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Tawanda Chirewa — Wolves