The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held in Morocco, not during the summer as initially planned, but in the winter. The tournament is now scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. This decision was confirmed during the CAF Executive Committee meeting held in Cairo on Friday, June 21, addressing international calendar requirements.
The change in dates comes after a flurry of unfounded rumors suggested a possible postponement of the tournament to 2026. Earlier in June, a CAF statement clarified these rumors, stating they were inaccurate and emphasized that the Executive Committee had yet to make a decision. These clarifications followed misinterpreted comments by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba in a BBC interview, where he mentioned the possibility of a delay without any official confirmation.
By rescheduling the tournament to winter, CAF avoids overlapping with the FIFA Club World Cup, which is set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025. This move ensures maximum visibility for both major football events.
In preparation for AFCON 2025, CAF will hold the qualifiers’ draw on July 4 in Johannesburg. The ceremony, broadcast live from the SuperSport studios at 14:30 local time (13:30 Moroccan time), will see 48 nations divided into 12 groups of four. The event will feature African football legends, representatives from national teams, and members of the Local Organizing Committee for the TotalEnergies AFCON Morocco 2025.
