Africa Cup clubs can keep players up to 3/1

 The players of the national teams who, from 9 January to 6 February, will play the African Cup of Nations will be able to remain at the disposal of their respective clubs until next 3 January. This was announced by Fifa after discussing it with Caf, or the African football confederation. The latter body has in fact given its approval to the proposal to postpone the date, to December 27, when the clubs should have 'released' the players called up. Of all this, it is specified, the ECA, an association of the main European clubs, has already been informed, as well as the Premier League, which in the next few days will play other league matches in which therefore, until January 3, also the Africans will be able to play. (see Liverpool with Mané and Salah, who will be able to play 2 in the big match against Chelsea).In all, the squad for the African competition who play in English teams are 40.

    Precisely these clubs had asked for an exemption from Fifa, and therefore were satisfied, the same goes for the French clubs that, on 2 and 3 January, will have to play the 16 / i of the National Cup.

    Fifa Deputy Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom confirmed the waiver in a letter: "The Caf has decided that for those players who have official club matches between 27 December and 3 January, the affiliated associations in question must be informed that the their athletes will remain with their respective clubs to take part in these matches.

    This decision was made in a spirit of goodwill and solidarity towards the clubs concerned. "

    The most penalized national team will be the Ivory Coast, which until January 4th will have to give up 7 players involved in the Premier League.

    For all the African players of the Premier who have been called up for their continental competition, however, the problem remains of the ten-day quarantine that they will have to do when they return to the United Kingdom.