Names Of Top English Premier League Players Set For 2025 AFCON

The Premier League is gearing up for a challenging winter as dozens of African stars prepare to leave their clubs for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which runs from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

The timing of the competition means many teams will be without some of their most influential players during one of the busiest stretches of the English Premier League calendar.

Liverpool will be among the hardest hit, with Mohamed Salah expected to lead Egypt’s charge in Morocco. His absence could see him miss several crucial league matches, including high-profile encounters against Tottenham, Arsenal, and Fulham.

Manchester United face a similar problem, with Bryan Mbeumo, Noussair Mazraoui, and Amad Diallo all likely to join their national teams. Fulham will also be short-handed, as Nigerian internationals Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Samuel Chukwueze head off to represent their country.

Nottingham Forest are expected to lose Ola Aina, Willy Boly, and Ibrahim Sangaré, while Tottenham Hotspur will have to make do without midfielders Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, and Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus.

The absence of these key figures will test the depth and resilience of Premier League squads as managers look for quick tactical fixes to keep their campaigns on track.

Below are other Premier League players expected to feature at AFCON 2025:

Aston Villa: Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast)

Brentford: Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)

Burnley: Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)

Crystal Palace: Christantus Uche (Nigeria)

Everton: Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal)

Manchester City: Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Aït-Nouri (Algeria)

West Ham: El Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)

Wolves: Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast), Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria)