The scheduling of the Arab Cup in Qatar from December 1 to 18, 2025, just three days before the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, presents significant logistical and strategic challenges for Arab African teams.
Due to FIFA expanding its Club World Cup competition to 32 teams and scheduling it for June and July this year, the next edition of the AFCON tournament will be held between December 21, 2025, and January 18, 2026, in Morocco.
This overlap forces teams to make tough decisions regarding participation in two major tournaments that cater to both regional pride and continental prestige.
For nations like Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt, which are likely contenders in AFCON, prioritizing one competition may be unavoidable.
Balancing the preparation of a full-strength squad for AFCON while fielding a competitive team for the Arab Cup could stretch their resources thin.
The physical and logistical demands of travelling between tournaments and maintaining performance levels might be overwhelming for players and staff.
On the other hand, this scheduling clash presents an opportunity for nations that failed to qualify for AFCON, such as Libya and Mauritania, to shine on a prestigious stage like the Arab Cup.
These teams can focus entirely on representing Africa while avoiding the dual pressures faced by their higher-ranked counterparts.
Ultimately, better coordination between the two football governing bodies is needed to prevent such scheduling conflicts, which risks undermining the quality and integrity of both tournaments.
