The relaxation of rules regarding player releases for the AFCON is a result of discussions between key stakeholders, including the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and European football clubs. This change is a significant boost for teams that will be heavily affected by the departures, such as Sunderland, which is likely to lose seven first-team players to the competition.

With six rounds of Premier League fixtures, the FA Cup third round, and the Carabao Cup semi-final first legs taking place between the tournament dates, top sides will have to make adjustments to their squads. This will be a challenging period for teams, as they will have to rotate their players and find ways to maintain their performance without their best players.

The AFCON will start on December 21st, with the host nation facing Comoros in the opening match. This date marks the beginning of a period of significant change for many Premier League teams, as they will have to adapt to the lo