The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to shift the next Africa Cup of Nations finals to the beginning of 2026. Initially planned for June 2025 in Morocco, the event was rescheduled to avoid overlapping with the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, slated for June 15 to July 13 in the USA.
This decision comes as a strategic response to potential scheduling conflicts for African players, many of whom are expected to participate in both the Club World Cup and the Cup of Nations.
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CAF faced a tough choice as organizing the tournament after the Club World Cup would place undue strain on players who would have already endured a grueling season before heading to America. “Scheduling is a nightmare for everybody,” mentioned CAF’s general secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba, indicating the complex nature of international football calendars.
The alteration poses a challenge for Morocco, which was keen on leveraging the tournament to boost its visibility as a tourist destination and underscore its infrastructural and organizational readiness for events comparable to the World Cup, for which it has a bid alongside Portugal and Spain for the 2030 edition.
