Angola’s head coach, Patrice Beaumelle, has strongly criticized FIFA. He is unhappy about the new player release date for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Beaumelle warns this delay will disrupt preparations across Africa.
National teams first expected their players by December 8. This would have given them almost two weeks to train. However, FIFA shifted the release date to December 15. This change follows pressure from top European clubs. They are reluctant to release key players during their busy season.
Consequently, many African teams will have just a few days. They need this time to work with full squads. The AFCON 2025 competition kicks off in Morocco on December 21.
Coach Beaumelle Slams FIFA’s Decision
Coach Beaumelle strongly opposed this decision. He openly questioned FIFA’s dedication to African football. “FIFA only needs Africa during elections,” he asserted. “But it doesn’t value our competitions like AFCON. It doesn’t give them the recognition they deserve.”
The French coach insisted that AFCON merits the same respect. He likened it to major tournaments in Europe and South America. Beaumelle described AFCON as one of football’s most passionate international events.
He cautioned that the reduced preparation time could impact teams. Both cohesion and performance might suffer. This is particularly concerning for teams relying on players based overseas.
The AFCON 2025 tournament is scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
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