Premier League clubs will be delighted.
The Africa Cup of Nations will no longer be staged in January and February. The Confederation of African Football announced on Thursday that the competition will instead be played in June and July, beginning in 2019.
The tournament, held every two years, conflicted with European leagues and clubs had to release players involved mid-season to link up with their national teams. Earlier this year, Liverpool struggled without Sadio Mane when he was at the tournament with Senegal.
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations is due to be held in Cameroon and will be expanded from 16 teams to 24 teams, mirroring the expansion of the European Championships.
The tournament will continue to be held every two years, and the shift to June and July will undoubtedly please clubs throughout Europe, who no-longer have to worry about losing key players mid-season for an international tournament.
Premier League managers when they hear the Africa Cup of Nations will probably not be in January ever again… pic.twitter.com/3EvJ3ivNYL
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) July 19, 2017
