Asamoah Gyan: 'AFCON is Like the World Cup for Every African Player'

15 January 2026at18:22

Former Ghana international Asamoah Gyan believes that African players view the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as being on par with the World Cup. He also stressed that both FIFA and CAF (the Confederation of African Football) must take responsibility for scheduling the tournament at an appropriate time that serves the interests of African players and maintains the balance of their clubs.

Gyan stated: "Why is the Africa Cup of Nations held at this time of the season when African players in Europe are forced to leave their clubs? This makes it difficult for players in Europe because it will go against African players when a club wants to buy them, as they will say: 'I will lose him during the Christmas period.'"

Regarding the impact on clubs, he added: "This affects most clubs that have important African players. The time must come when FIFA or CAF allocates a time for the tournament during a break in the season. You might find a club leading the league table, then all its players go to the tournament in January, and the team starts losing points."

Gyan concluded by saying: "For me, the Africa Cup of Nations is like the World Cup, and this is what every African footballer believes."

Q&A

Why does Asamoah Gyan believe the Africa Cup of Nations timing is problematic?

Asamoah Gyan criticizes AFCON's current timing, stating it forces African players to leave European clubs mid-season. This impacts transfers and can cost clubs vital league points, prompting his call for FIFA and CAF to reschedule.

How does the current AFCON schedule impact European football clubs?

The current AFCON schedule significantly affects European clubs by forcing them to release key African players during the season. This can lead to a loss of points and negatively impact a team's league position, as highlighted by Gyan.

CAF Africa Cup of Nations

FIFA World Cup