A Breakdown on AFCON & the Premier League: Who Loses the Most Players?

A Breakdown on AFCON & the Premier League: Who Loses the Most Players?

The Africa Cup of Nations returns this year, starting on 21 December 2025 and ending on 18 January 2026.

Whilst this is of course a momentous occasion for the players taking part, it leaves club's weakened and has the potential to derail their momentum.

Here's the list of Premier League clubs who will be most affected by the upcoming AFCON tournament.

Manchester United

Whilst only set to lose three first-team players, all are key to the team and the absence of Bryan Mbuemo in particular, their new attacking recruitment from Brentford, will certainly be strongly felt.

Noussair Mazraoui will be joining the Moroccan national side, one of the favourites to lift the cup, which will require either Diogo Dalot at right wing-back or the likes of Ayden Heaven to cover for him at the right side of a back three.

Dorgu is already locking the right wing position when Amad and Mbeumo goes to AFCON🤔🙌 pic.twitter.com/KBjVHn31W0

— 𝕋𝕆ℙℂ𝔼𝔼🥷 (@UtdTopCee) September 8, 2025

Adam Diallo will be representing Cote D'Ivoire, which wouldn't have mattered massively if Mbeumo wasn't also heading to the competition with Cameroon - leaving Manchester United with two attacking players out of the fold.

Joshua Zirkzee and Matheus Cunha will be expected to cover in the two pockets behind the striker, and Mason Mount will also need to retain fitness as an alternative option.

Nottingham Forest

Ange Postecoglou will be losing Ibrahim Sangare, Willy Boly, Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Sangare, of Cote D'Ivoire, and Aina, playing for Nigeria, are no doubt the biggest losses from the list, as Sangare has started all four of Forest's Premier League games so far, whilst the right-back has played in three.

Both Boly and Awoniyi are yet to play this season, with Awoniyi having been injured, however Boly's influence in particular in the dressing room will be felt when he is away.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves will be without Marshall Munetsi, Emmanuel Agbadou, Tolu Arokodare, Tawanda Chirewa and Jackson Tchatchoua.

Whilst Arokodare and Chirewa haven't contributed much to the first-team, it will be a hit to their squad depth during the busy Christmas/New Year period.

Marshall Munetsi has started three games and been brought on in the other, Emmanuel Agbadou has been part of the defensive line in all games up to now, and Jackson Tchatchoua has been used as a substitute twice plus started once.

With the Midlands club already struggling with these players on the pitch, their woes may be compounded even more during the AFCON period as they look to be in a relegation fight this season.

Crystal Palace

Ismaila Sarr will be the biggest hit for Palace, although he is currently out injured until the end of September.

Cheick Doucoure is also currently injured despite playing a decent chunk of games last season, but will be back in time for the competition - at least The Eagles will be used to life without Doucoure on the field.

Chadi Riad and Christantus Uche both have one appearance apiece in the league so far - they will be likely to head away with Morocco and Nigeria respectively.

Burnley

The Clarets will be missing Axel Tuanzebe, Lyle Foster and Hannibal Mejbri come December.

Lyle Foster will represent South Africa during the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Uganda & South Sudan 🇿🇦 https://t.co/3Dtpl8V627 pic.twitter.com/s6mPJqlwCn

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) August 29, 2024

Axel Tuanzebe is yet to feature this season, so he won't leave a gaping hole in the defence, however both Foster and Hannibal have played in all four matches this season, with Foster scoring previously against Manchester United.

Tuanzebe is set to head to AFCON with the DR Congo national team, whilst Foster and Hannibal will be linking up with South African and Tunisia respectively.

Sunderland

The Black Cats are without a doubt the team set to feel the most damage from AFCON, with a massive nine players going to the tournament.

Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Blondy Noukeu (Cameroon), Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique), Habib Diarra (Senegal), Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast_, Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo), Ahmed Abdullahi (Nigeria) and Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso) are the full list of names.

Someone should tell Sunderland that AFCON is on in January https://t.co/DcTAGKsIMn

— Cam (@cam_nufc) July 9, 2025

Whilst Noukeu, Masuaku, Adbullahi and Bertrand Traore are yet to make a Premier League appearance for the club, Traore will likely be a key player having only just arrived, and the others make up big numbers missing in terms of squad depth.

Elsewhere, Talbi, Mandava, Diarra, Adingra and Sadiki have all featured in every game so far, so Sunderland will be missing a big chunk of their regular starters as they navigate the Christmas fixtures and into the New Year without them.

The Black Cats will certainly have to hope that their current early season momentum generates them enough points in their quest to remain in the division, after eight years away from it.