THE Africa Cup of Nations is nearly upon us and before a ball has been kicked there is already an almighty row brewing.
African teams have been told by Fifa that their European stars can stay with their clubs until Monday, which is eight days later than usual before a major tournament.
Cue outrage from various managers and federations, who say there is a clear bias between Afcon and other big tournaments like the World Cup.
With the big show starting next Sunday, it does not give the coaches much time to bed in their best players, many of whom perform at some of Europe’s top clubs.
Despite the shortened prep, the tournament arrives at the worst possible moment, right in the middle of a brutal Premier League schedule where teams are already creaking under fixture congestion, injuries and fatigue.
Managers have been complaining for weeks about burnout — and now they’re expected to cope without 40-plus players during the most intense stretch of the season.
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Mali coach Tom Saintfiet said: “Everyone in Europe thinks African football is not important. It shows a lack of respect and I am angry.”
Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle expressed “outrage” after the normal two-week release clause for players before major tournaments was reduced to just six days.
He said: “Fifa only needs Africa during elections but does not value our competitions, like Afcon, or give them the recognition they deserve.”
It’s also impossible to imagine Fifa imposing a six-day release window on European nations before a Euros, or South American nations before a Copa America.
The idea of Brazil receiving its players a week before kick-off is laughable — yet Africa is routinely expected to accept diminished prep without complaint.
But then if you are looking for moral guidance from Fifa — who have just announced the cheapest ticket for next summer’s World Cup final will be over £3,000 — then I suggest you should try elsewhere.
It looks very likely that Manchester United’s African trio of Bryan Mbeumo, Noussair Mazraoui and Amad Diallo will all be available to face Bournemouth on Monday night.
That gives them precious little time to hook up with their national squads, but it appears Fifa don’t give a fig about that.
As with the Ronaldo red-card fiasco — punishment for his violent-conduct dismissal was inexplicably reduced from three games to one — it underlines the fact there appears to be one rule for some and another for the rest.
The African tournament, staged in Morocco until January 18, is of huge domestic interest as so many Premier League stars are heading there.
Sunderland have the most going, with nine, ahead of Wolves’ five. Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest will lose four each.
In total, more than 40 Premier League players are expected to be missing for the duration of the tournament — a staggering drain on squads during one of the most unforgiving periods of the season.
Seventeen of the 20 Premier League clubs will lose at least one player, with some sides stripped of core starters.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Afcon will reshape the Prem table, with managers privately fuming about losing key men as the fixtures pile up.
And spare a thought for the players themselves, who are told by their clubs that they are needed for vital fixtures and told by their countries they’re arriving late.
No other group of international footballers are caught in this kind of tug-of-war.
Which begs another question as to whether or not Afcon could be moved to keep clear of the top European leagues?
It has traditionally been held in January but in 2019 the tournament was moved to the northern hemisphere summer, in order to avoid a clash with European club football.
But the oppressive heat and the emergence of the Fifa Club World Cup has meant that the 2021, 2023 and 2025 editions have reverted back to the northern hemisphere winter.
And so here we are again, back in the familiar cycle.
The old club-versus-country row used to flare up every few years, but now it feels permanent — and every time Africa is involved the fuse seems that little bit shorter.
The contradiction is glaring: players can’t safely perform in 40C heat in summer, but European leagues also can’t function properly when 40 of their players disappear mid-season.
And rather than solving the problem, Fifa seem content to toss a hand grenade into both calendars.
I don’t know where this leaves us. Perhaps we should get rid of the ridiculous Club World Cup — fat chance!
‘DESERVES BETTER’
In truth, Afcon deserves better. It’s a magnificent tournament with identity, colour and passion — but it’s constantly forced to fight for breathing space in a calendar that seems designed to squeeze it out.
Afcon is brilliant and vibrant, and the nations involved have a variety of amazing nicknames which certainly beat the hell out of Rovers versus City.
The opening night on December 21 will pit Morocco’s Atlas Lions against Comoros, who are nicknamed the Coelacanths, an ancient and rare fish species found around their islands.
The Giant Sable Antelope — Angola — take on Bafana Bafana of South Africa on December 23 and I’m looking forward to seeing Nigeria’s Super Eagles and The Stallions of Burkina Faso.
And I’m old enough to remember the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon nearly dumping Bobby Robson’s England out of the World Cup in 1990.
Indomitable they certainly were.
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