AFCON 2025: Which Premier League teams will suffer the biggest losses?

The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on December 21 in Morocco, and while Arsenal, Chelsea, and Leeds United will escape unscathed, most Premier League clubs are bracing for a challenging winter.

With 17 teams set to lose key players, the tournament could reshape the league’s momentum during one of the busiest parts of the season.

Sunderland have been one of the Premier League’s surprise packages, rising from Championship promotion winners to genuine European contenders under Regis Le Bris.

Their energetic, fearless football has stunned the league, but AFCON threatens to halt that momentum. The Black Cats are set to be the most affected club this winter, losing a staggering seven players to international duty, the highest tally in the division.

Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Bertrand Traoré, Arthur Masuaku, and Noah Sadiki are all expected to join their national teams.

This leaves Sunderland dangerously thin across multiple positions, stripping them of creativity, defensive balance, and squad depth at the worst possible time.

December to January will serve as a true test of their resilience, and whether their European ambitions can survive without nearly half of their core lineup.

Manchester United, finally resurging under Ruben Amorim after a chaotic start to the season, are set to lose three crucial players. Bryan Mbeumo, arguably their most influential attacker during their recent revival, is expected to receive a Cameroon call-up.

Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are also likely to leave, stripping United of pace, creativity, and defensive stability. Their winter fixtures could once again expose the lack of depth that has haunted them in recent seasons.

Struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers face an equally severe blow, with up to five players, including Marshall Munetsi, Emmanuel Agbadou, Tawanda Chirewa, Tolu Arokodare, and Jackson Tchatchoua, in contention for AFCON duty.

Everton, will miss Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye, two players central to their midfield identity, while Adam Aznou may also depart for Morocco. While Fulham, already fighting to escape relegation trouble, will lose Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze to Nigeria’s AFCON campaign, stripping Marco Silva of attacking spark and defensive stability.