CAF president Patrice Motsepe has revealed why African football's governing body decided to change the dates for the next Africa Cup of Nations.
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On Friday, the world found out when the next edition of Africa's continental showpiece will take place.
CAF announced that the 35th iteration of the continent's biggest football tournament will start on 21 December 2025, with the final set to take place on 18 January 2026.
The next AFCON, which is set to be held in Morocco, was originally intended to be staged at the end of the 2024/25 season in an effort to better align with the most of the world's football calendar. However, those plans did not come to fruition.
Now, the former Mamelodi Sundowns chairman has revealed why the competition has been moved to a later date instead of the original date mooted.
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"Our goal was to organise the Africa Cup of Nations between June and July 2025, but that cannot happen at all because this time coincides with the Club World Cup with its new system, and a number of our players will be committed to their team," Motsepe said, as per Rue 20.
"I am grateful to Morocco for its efforts to organise the upcoming African Nations Championship in an ideal manner, and I am confident that it will be the best version."
The FIFA Club World Cup has been expanded to 32 teams, split into eight groups of four, and will be held between June and July next year, serving as prequel of sorts to the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
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African sides Sundowns, Al Ahly, Wydad Athletic Club and Esperance de Tunis will be representing the continent in the United States of America at the CWC next year.
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