Why is Afcon taking place in December?

Between December 21 and January 18th, 2026, Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

To prevent scheduling conflicts with European clubs and competitions, the 2025 edition was originally intended to be a mid-year tournament.

Before Morocco co-hosts the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, the event was intended to boost tourism and highlight what Morocco has to offer.

However, it was moved to December to accommodate Fifa’s resumption of the summer’s Club World Cup.

The Champions League and Europa League, which kick off on January 20 and 22, respectively, will not be in conflict with the move to begin in December rather than January.

Afcon will be held in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, and Fez for the first time this year.

On December 25, there won’t be any games.

On December 15, Afcon participants were freed from their clubs.

Due to this, teams only have a week to prepare before the tournament begins, which enrages coaches, who have been given so little time to prepare.

Patrice Beaumelle, the coach of Angola, called the situation “nonsense” and said it was impossible to “prepare a serious team in just two or three sessions.”

The 2019 edition, which was hosted by Egypt, was the last Afcon held in the summer.

Because of the variable climate of Africa, AFCON is typically held in the winter months, primarily in January and February.

In some countries, extreme heat and rainy seasons can come with extreme heat conditions that can affect football pitches and playing conditions.

Instead, the wintertime brings cooler temperatures and stable temperatures, making for ideal playing conditions.

Due to the bad weather, the 2023 edition held in the Ivory Coast was scheduled for the summer of 2022, but it was postponed until the following year.

Afcon can avoid conflicts with other international football competitions that traditionally take place in the summer because it is held in the winter.

Traditional biannual gatherings have been the Africa Cup of Nations. A spot at the World Cup was not guaranteed for African teams when it first started in 1957.

More African countries have participated in the World Cup over the years.

However, Afcon’s regularity ensures that tournament and tourism revenue has been consistent.

Additionally, it offers players and teams regular opportunities to compete.

To fit in with other international football competitions, Afcon will take place once every four years rather than every two.

Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, presented this concept to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) in 2020.

He also suggested Streamlining Afcon between September and November.

Patrice Motsepe, president of Confederation of African Football, announced that the tournament would take place every four years starting in 2028 on the eve of this year’s Afcon on Saturday, December 20.