AFCON 2025: Arsenal, Chelsea Among Big Winners But Which Club Will Be Hit Hardest?

The Africa Cup of Nations is set to disrupt the Premier League season, with the tournament kicking off on December 21 in Morocco.

As many as 17 top-flight clubs could lose key players when the competition runs from December 21 to January 18.

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Players are required to report for international duty on Monday, December 15. However, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has confirmed the club is in talks to allow their AFCON-bound players to feature in the match against Bournemouth that same evening.

Depending on how far their national teams advance, players could be absent for up to seven Premier League fixtures, in addition to FA Cup and Carabao Cup ties.

The group stage concludes on December 31, meaning those eliminated early may only miss a few matches.

Sunderland faces the biggest potential disruption, while Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Leeds, and Newcastle will be unaffected. Here’s a club-by-club breakdown of who is heading to Morocco.

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Leeds, and Newcastle will not lose any players to the tournament. Villa's Ivorian forward Evann Guessand was named only as a reserve, while Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo will remain with his club as Ghana did not qualify.

The Bees will be without two players, including a key first-teamer. Club-record signing Dango Ouattara, a £42.5m forward who has scored three times this season, will represent Burkina Faso. He will be joined by Nigerian midfielder Frank Onyeka.

Brighton must cope without Cameroonian midfielder Carlos Baleba, who has been a near-constant presence in their starting lineup this season.

Burnley will lose three players to the tournament. Former England U21 defender Axel Tuanzebe is set to play for DR Congo, striker Lyle Foster will join South Africa, and playmaker Hannibal Mejbri will represent Tunisia.

The Eagles face a significant blow with the departure of Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr, who has been in fine form with eight goals in all competitions. Sarr is likely to miss Palace's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal on December 23.

Everton will lose two starters to the Senegal squad: midfielder Idrissa Gueye and forward Iliman Ndiaye, who has contributed four goals this season.

Fulham will see three key players join up with Nigeria. Midfielder Alex Iwobi and defender Calvin Bassey have been ever-present in the league, while winger Samuel Chukwueze has impressed recently, notably scoring twice against Manchester City.

Liverpool will only lose one player, but it is their talisman, Mohamed Salah. Despite a relatively quiet campaign with five goals so far, the Egyptian forward's absence will be keenly felt.

The title contenders will be without two players, though both have had their seasons hampered by injury. Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush and Algerian left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri have had limited game time but will still be missed.

Manchester United's right flank will look significantly different over the festive period. Cameroonian forward Bryan Mbeumo, Ivorian winger Amad Diallo, and Moroccan wing-back Noussair Mazraoui are all set for international duty.

Nottingham Forest will have two players departing for the Africa Cup of Nations, adding to the challenges they face during a busy winter schedule. Defender Willy Boly and midfielder Ibrahim Sangare were selected to the Ivory Coast squad.

This season's surprise package, fourth-placed Sunderland, will be the most severely affected side, with five players confirmed for departure. The list includes Morocco winger Chemsdine Talbi, Mozambique full-back Reinildo, Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore, and the DR Congo duo of Arthur Masuaku and Noah Sadiki.

The Black Cats could lose a sixth player, as Senegal has yet to name its squad, with midfielder Habib Diarra a potential inclusion despite being injured since September.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to be without one or two midfielders. Mali's Yves Bissouma, who has been sidelined this season following ankle surgery in October, has been confirmed in his national squad. Pape Matar Sarr is also expected to be named in the Senegal squad once it is announced.

Meanwhile, struggling West Ham will lose both of their starting full-backs. Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is set to join up with DR Congo, while left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf awaits Senegal's final squad list.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, currently bottom of the table and without a win, will lose two players. Defender Emmanuel Agbadou has been called up by Ivory Coast, and Zimbabwe's Tawanda Chirewa will also depart, though he has not featured for Wolves this season.