Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has voiced his opinion on the scheduling of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), suggesting it should be held alongside major summer tournaments like the UEFA European Championship and Copa America. Ferdinand believes the current mid-season timing disrupts Europe’s top domestic leagues.
Speaking on his show Rio Ferdinand Presents, the ex-defender highlighted how the growing presence of African players in elite European football has made the January AFCON break particularly challenging for clubs.
“African players are now a huge part of the game at the highest level,” Ferdinand said. “They are starring in the Premier League, across Europe, and in the Champions League.”
He stressed that when these players depart for AFCON, leagues such as the Premier League and La Liga face reduced squad strength, a tighter fixture schedule, and increased injury risks during an already demanding part of the season.
“When they leave for AFCON, it affects the quality of the Premier League, La Liga, and other European competitions,” he added.
The current 2025 AFCON in Morocco has seen several high-profile stars sidelined from their club duties to represent their nations. Key players participating include Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Ferdinand questioned the logic of scheduling AFCON in the middle of the European season rather than during the summer, pointing out that both the Euros and Copa America occur when club competitions are paused.
“There needs to be serious discussion about aligning AFCON with the Euros and Copa America,” Ferdinand said. “Those tournaments happen when leagues are on break, so why is Africa’s competition different?”
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