Football News Update: Euro 2024, Champions League, and FIFA World Cup Highlights
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the next Africa Cup of Nations finals have been postponed from mid-2025 to December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026. This decision was made to accommodate FIFA’s expanded 32-team Club World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the United States next June and July.
Additionally, CAF has moved the 2023 Women’s Cup of Nations finals in Morocco to July 5-26, 2024, a 12-month delay from the original schedule. This shift aims to alleviate the conflict for European-based African players who often have to choose between their club and national team commitments during the mid-year tournament.
“The announcement of the dates for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco took much longer than expected, as there were complex and challenging discussions with various stakeholders due to the crowded international calendar,” said CAF president Patrice Motsepe. “CAF is committed to protecting the interests of African players playing for clubs in Europe and worldwide, as well as building mutually beneficial relationships with other football confederations and FIFA.”
The 2025 AFCON finals were initially planned as a showcase for Morocco to bolster its summer tourism profile and demonstrate its capability ahead of a potential joint 2030 World Cup bid with Portugal and Spain. However, the tournament will now take place during the winter months.
The 2025 AFCON qualifiers will be played in the upcoming international windows of September, October, and November this year, setting the stage for the 24 finalists who will then wait over a year before the main event kicks off.
This Football News update highlights the ongoing challenges faced by football governing bodies in coordinating the international calendar, particularly as major tournaments like the expanded Club World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations continue to evolve.
Fans can look forward to the upcoming Euro 2024 in Germany, the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature the new 48-team format. The Women’s World Cup in 2023 and the Africa Cup of Nations Standings in the coming year will also be closely watched by enthusiasts.
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