"But it was shifted to December to make way for Fifa's expanded Club World Cup, held in the summer. The move to a start in December rather than January will avoid conflicts with the Champions League and Europa League, which restart on 20 and 22 January respectively. It will be the first time Afcon has been held at this time of year, with matches played in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier and Fez."
"Afcon is traditionally held in the winter months, primarily in January and February, because of the variable African climate. Summer in some nations can include rainy seasons and extreme heat conditions, which can affect football pitches and playing conditions. The winter period instead provides drier conditions and stable temperatures, making for ideal playing conditions. The 2023 edition held in the Ivory Coast was due to be held in the summer of 2022, but it was moved to early in the following year because of the weather conditions."
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, with matches in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier and Fez. The tournament was moved to December to accommodate Fifa's expanded Club World Cup and to avoid clashes with the Champions League and Europa League restarts on 20 and 22 January. Players were released from clubs on 15 December, giving teams roughly a week to prepare and prompting coach frustration over the short preparation window. Afcon is usually held in January–February because winter offers drier, more stable playing conditions than summer in many African countries.
Read at www.bbc.com
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