UEFA may be forced into rule change that could cause massive problems for Premier League clubs

UEFA may be forced into a rule change that can have a major impact on Premier League clubs.

The Independent has claimed that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is set to be held from late December 2025 to late January 2026 to accommodate with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup.

Those dates would reportedly require a rule change from FIFA with the 2026 World Cup is set to take place months later, given clubs currently only have an obligation to release players for one international finals tournament per year.

The current regulations on the transfer and status of players state: “It is not compulsory to release the same player for more than one “A” representative team final competition per year. Exceptions to this rule can be established by the FIFA Executive Committee for the FIFA Confederations Cup only.”

Moreover, Premier League chiefs are said to be concerned about the congestion, with the new dates set to clash with the Christmas schedule.

The currently plans, which are yet to be confirmed, have come after Fifpro announced legal action against Fifa over unilateral decisions that affect the entire game, including their decision to expand the Club World Cup to a 32-team summer tournament.

And movement of the Africa Cup of Nations would see English football among the most affected given how it clashes with the busy Christmas schedule.

Regarding the above claims, a FIFA spokesperson told SPORTbible: "As a general rule, please note that FIFA cannot comment on hypothetical scenarios."

AFCON could be to be held from late December 2025 to late January 2026 (Getty)

Amid the Independent’s report on the matter, former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher spoke out against the amount of football players were being asked to feature in.

Carragher said: “The amount of football we ask the top players to play is beyond a joke.

“The quality drops & more importantly the injuries rise. FIFPRO will have more battles on their hands with UEFA and FIFA going forward.”

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