At most 47 Premier League players are set to miss their club’s crucial action due to AFCON 2025. Based on the data available, 17 Premier League clubs are set to miss their superstars ahead of the big continental showdown in Morocco.
The 35th edition of the Total Energies African Football Cup of Nations will take place across Morocco between 21st of December 2025 and 18th January 2026. From this perspective, we highlight the extent to which clubs are affected. Therefore, we examine who is going to benefit and who could be a loser. To look at the benefits and a loser, we consider how the depth is going to shake as well as the number of first team squad players who are going to take part in AFCON 2025 in Morocco. 
Premier League clubs with no African players.
Both Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds United have no squad players from Africa, or the nations of their squad players had not qualified for AFCON 2025 in Morocco. Therefore, they are not expected to experience depth shaking of their squads. These clubs are not on the agenda for losing players to the tournament.
A Premier League club which could lose many players due to AFCON 2025.
Mostly in the form Premier League is Sunderland. This club is expected to permit at most 9 players for AFCON 2025. Football pundits reveal that it could be difficult for the club to fix the issue ahead of the intense fixtures of both December and January. Players who are expected to leave Stadium of Light for AFCON 2025 include the likes of: Noah Sadik (Democratic Republic of Congo), Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Blondy Nnah Noukeu (Cameroon), Arthur Masuaku (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Habibu Diarra (Senegal).
Others include the likes of Ahmed Abdullah (Nigeria), Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique), Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco) and Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast).
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- Mohamed Salah to represent Egypt in AFCON 2025
Other Premier League clubs expected to lose players for AFCON 2025:
Aston Villa
The Midland club expected to have one player who could feature in Africa’s elite competition. The player is Evann Guessand from the Ivory Coast.
Bournemouth
The club have one African player who could also participate in AFCON 2025 in Morocco. The player is Amine Adli from Morocco.
Brentford
The London-based club have two African superstars who could feature in AFCON 2025 too. Their names are Dango Ouattara from Burkina Faso and Frank Onyeka from Nigeria.
Brighton Hove & Albion.
Cameroonian Central Midfielder Carlos Baleba will be on duty to represent his nation in Morocco.
Burnley Fc
The Premier League struggling side, Burnley FC, will lose three players for AFCON 2025 in Morocco. These include South African Lyle Foster, Congolese full-back Axel Tuanzebe and former Manchester United teenager Hannibal Mejbri, who is going to represent Tunisia.
Crystal Palace FC
Crystal Palace, which begins the Premier League campaign with a good performance, have four African players who are going to depart Selhurst Park for AFCON 2025 on a duty of representing their respective nations. Crystal Palace, who could leave the club for AFCON 2025, are: Ismaila Sarr of Senegal, Christantus Uche, who could represent the Super Eagles (Nigeria), Chadi Riad of Morocco and Cheick Doucouré, who could represent Mali.
Everton FC
From Everton, two footballers from Africa could feature in AFCON 2025. Both of those players will represent Senegal in Morocco. These players are: Ilman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Fulham FC
Three Nigerian Fulham players could also feature in the tournament. The club from Cravan cottage could permit three Naija superstars. These are: Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze.
Liverpool FC
The Premier League Champions will lack the service of their superstar, the Egyptian King.
Mohamed Salah.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s side is set to miss two players. These are Rayan Aït-Nouri (Algeria)
and Omar Marmoush (Egypt).
Manchester United
Manchester United will miss the service of their ongoing season top scorer, Bryan Mbeumo, who is going to play for Cameroon in AFCON 2025 in Morocco. The next first-team squad player to leave Old Trafford from AFCON is Noussair Mazroui of Morocco. Lastly, United will be without their promising and highly rated young star, Amad Diallo from the Ivory Coast.
Newcastle United
The club signed Yoanne Wissa, a Congolese striker from Brentford, during the summer transfer window. However, the player has not yet been featured in any competitive match due to injury. According to reports from the club, Wissa’s health condition is improving. Hence, he may be featured in the AFCON 2025.
Nottingham Forest
Sean Dyche’s side will miss their three squad players from AFCON. Nottingham Forest, who are struggling to avoid relegation, zones set to miss Ola Aina (Nigeria). However, Aina is currently injured, so he is in doubt to be included in the Super Eagles’ side, who are expected to fly to Morocco for AFCON 2025. Other players are the Ivorian duo Willy Boly, who is not yet featured in the Premier League this season Ibrahim Sangare.
Tottenham Hotspur
The North Londoners are expected to miss two of their squad superstars due to their participation in AFCON 2025. The two are: Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal) and Yves Bissouma, who could represent Mali.
West Ham United
El Hadji Malick Diouf of Senegal and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo) will leave the London-based club for AFCON 2025. The latter decided to switch his nationality to get a rare chance to represent his ancestral land on the international stage.
Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The top-bottom side Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers, will be in trouble again, as its five squad players are expected to feature in AFCON 2025. Those players will fly the national flags of four different African nations in Morocco. The club will miss the services of Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast), Jackson Tchatchoua (Cameroon), Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe) and Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria).
Number of matches Premier League African players are expected to miss due to their participation in AFCON 2025.
Premier League players set to feature in AFCON 2025 are set to miss at least four Premier League games. However, this data applies when matches of other competitions are excluded. The number of matches African players could miss may increase in case their national football teams advance to the next stages of the tournament.
