The Africa Cup of Nations returns this season over the winter period, and it could have a huge impact on some Premier League teams.
The next edition of the tournament takes place between 21 December 2025 and 18 January 2026, and some Premier League players could miss up to six matches depending on how well their respective countries perform.
Liverpool will be hit by the absence of Premier League and FWA Player of the Season Mohamed Salah, while Manchester United will be one of the most affected clubs, with key players across the spine of Ruben Amorim’s team set to depart for the finals in Morocco.
Six teams will have no players missing from their squad during the tournament, however.
Below, Hayters TV looks at who from each Premier League side will be missing for over the festive period…
Bournemouth
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso).
Games they could miss:
- Bournemouth vs Burnley – 20 December
- Brentford vs Bournemouth – 27 December
- Chelsea vs Bournemouth – 30 December
- Bournemouth vs Arsenal – 3 January
- Bournemouth vs Tottenham – 7 January
- Brighton vs Bournemouth – 17 January
Brentford
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Yoane Wissa (DR Congo).
Games they could miss:
- Wolves vs Brentford – 20 December
- Brentford vs Bournemouth – 27 December
- Brentford vs Tottenham – 30 December
- Everton vs Brentford – 3 January
- Brentford vs Sunderland – 7 January
- Chelsea vs Brentford – 17 January
Brighton & Hove Albion
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon), Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire).
Games they could miss:
- Brighton vs Sunderland – 20 December
- Arsenal vs Brighton – 27 December
- West Ham vs Brighton – 30 December
- Brighton vs Burnley – 3 January
- Man City vs Brighton – 7 January
- Brighton vs Bournemouth – 17 January
Burnley
Lyle Foster (South African), Manuel Benson (Angola), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).
Games they could miss:
- Bournemouth vs Burnley – 20 December
- Burnley vs Everton – 27 December
- Burnley vs Everton – 30 December
- Brighton vs Burnley – 3 January
- Burnley vs Man Utd – 7 January
- Liverpool vs Burnley – 17 January
Chelsea
Nicolas Jackson (Senegal), David Datro Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire).
Games they could miss:
- Newcastle vs Chelsea – 20 December
- Chelsea vs Aston Villa – 27 December
- Chelsea vs Bournemouth – 30 December
- Man City vs Chelsea – 3 January
- Fulham vs Chelsea – 7 January
- Chelsea vs Brentford – 17 January
Crystal Palace
Chadi Riad (Morocco), Cheick Doucoure (Mali), Ismaila Sarr (Senegal).
Games they could miss:
- Leeds vs Crystal Palace – 20 December
- Crystal Palace vs Tottenham – 27 December
- Crystal Palace vs Fulham – 30 December
- Newcastle vs Crystal Palace – 3 January
- Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa – 7 January
- Sunderland vs Crystal Palace – 17 January
Everton
Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal).
Games they could miss:
- Everton vs Arsenal – 20 December
- Burnley vs Everton – 27 December
- Nottingham Forest vs Everton – 30 December
- Everton vs Brentford – 3 January
- Everton vs Wolves – 7 January
- Aston Villa vs Everton – 17 January
Fulham
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria).
Games they could miss:
- Fulham vs Nottingham Forest – 20 December
- West Ham vs Fulham – 27 December
- Crystal Palace vs Fulham – 30 December
- Fulham vs Liverpool – 3 January
- Fulham vs Chelsea – 7 January
- Leeds vs Fulham – 17 January
Liverpool
Mohamed Salah (Egypt).
Games they could miss:
- Tottenham vs Liverpool – 20 December
- Liverpool vs Wolves – 27 December
- Liverpool vs Leeds – 30 December
- Fulham vs Liverpool – 3 January
- Arsenal vs Liverpool – 7 January
- Liverpool vs Burnley – 17 January
Manchester City
Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait Nouri (Algeria).
Games they could miss:
- Man City vs West Ham – 20 December
- Nottingham Forest vs Man City – 27 December
- Sunderland vs Man City- 30 December
- Man City vs Chelsea – 3 January
- Man City vs Brighton – 7 January
- Man Utd vs Man City – 17 January
Manchester United
Andre Onana (Cameroon), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), Amad (Côte d’Ivoire).
Games they could miss:
- Aston Villa vs Man Utd – 20 December
- Man Utd vs Newcastle – 27 December
- Man Utd vs Wolves – 30 December
- Leeds vs Man Utd – 3 January
- Burnley vs Man Utd – 7 January
- Man Utd vs Man City – 17 January
Nottingham Forest
Willy Boly (Côte d’Ivoire), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nigeria), Ibrahim Sangare (Côte d’Ivoire), Ola Aina (Nigeria).
Games they could miss:
- Fulham vs Nottingham Forest – 20 December
- Nottingham Forest vs Man City – 27 December
- Nottingham Forest vs Everton – 30 December
- Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest – 3 January
- West Ham vs Nottingham Forest – 7 January
- Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – 17 January
Tottenham
Pape Sarr (Senegal), Yves Bissouma (Mali).
Games they could miss:
- Tottenham vs Liverpool – 20 December
- Crystal Palace vs Tottenham – 27 December
- Brentford vs Tottenham – 30 December
- Tottenham vs Sunderland – 3 January
- Bournemouth vs Tottenham – 7 January
- West Ham vs Tottenham – 17 January
Wolves
Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Côte d’Ivoire), Nasser Njiga (Burkina Faso).
Games they could miss:
- Wolves vs Brentford – 20 December
- Liverpool vs Wolves – 27 December
- Man Utd vs Wolves – 30 December
- Wolves vs West Ham – 3 January
- Everton vs Wolves – 7 January
- Wolves vs Newcastle – 17 January