As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) gets underway in Morocco, Premier League clubs face one of the busiest and most disruptive stretches of the season.
The tournament, running from Sunday, December 21, 2025, to Sunday, January 18, 2026, has pulled dozens of players away from their clubs at a critical time when festive fixtures and early January matches are tightly packed.
AFCON always presents a dilemma for Premier League managers. While it is a prestigious tournament for the players involved, their absence leaves holes in club squads during a period that can decide league positions, European qualification battles and relegation fights.
With AFCON often overlapping a decisive run of fixtures, coverage across platforms such as Fresh Casino Tribuna have highlighted just how influential international departures can be for clubs across the league. This season, the scale of disruption varies widely across the division. In this article, we look at the predicted Premier League teams most impacted by AFCON call-ups.
Premier League Teams Most Impacted by AFCON Call-Ups
Sunderland
At the top of the list of teams most affected is Sunderland. The newly promoted side is losing six players to AFCON call-ups the most of any Premier League club. Those include key contributors who have featured regularly this season, such as Bertrand Traore, Noah Sadiki and Reinildo Mandava.
Sunderland’s African contingent has logged around 4,000 minutes so far this campaign – a significant amount of playing time that will be missed over the next month.
The absence of so many regulars threatens to derail Sunderland’s impressive start and could see them struggle to maintain momentum during a notoriously congested fixture run. Their squad depth will be tested as home and away matches pile up without familiar faces to call upon.
Fulham
West London club Fulham also face substantial disruption due to AFCON call-ups.
Three of their first-team players – Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze – have joined Nigeria’s AFCON squad. Both Iwobi and Bassey have featured in every league match this season (prior to Gameweek 17), while Chukwueze has been influential in recent weeks with a string of goal contributions.
Losing such consistency in attack and defence could blunt Fulham’s threat in key games over festive fixtures and into January.
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Manchester United
For Manchester United, the impact is clear but perhaps slightly more manageable.
United will be without Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui during AFCON. Mbeumo, in particular, has been Manchester United’s top scorer this season, and his absence will be felt in the forward line.
United’s depth will be tested as they try to stay in the top-four race without these key players.
Across the Table
Elsewhere, teams with one or two AFCON call-ups will also feel the strain.
Liverpool, for example, has seen Mohamed Salah depart to represent Egypt. Although Salah’s form has been mixed this season, his departure removes a big-game player from Arne Slot’s squad during crucial matches.
Clubs like Brentford, Brighton and Burnley will cope without two to three players apiece, including regular starters like Brentford’s Dango Ouattara and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Smaller squads could feel these losses more keenly, especially if injuries or suspensions further stretch resources.
In contrast, clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Leeds United have no AFCON call-ups, giving them a rare advantage over the next month with full squad availability. That stability could prove decisive in the Premier League’s tightly contested standings.
As AFCON progresses and nations are knocked out, players will trickle back to England. But for now, some clubs face a sustained period of adjustment that could shape their season.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Pro Sports Images
Recording Date: 29.11.2025
