Bafana Bafana’s Helman Mkhalele questions FIFA’s respect for African football as clubs allowed to hold players until just before Africa Cup of Nations

FIFA’s ruling that clubs may retain their players until six days before the Africa Cup of Nations begins stands in sharp contrast to the long‑established policy of releasing players 14 days ahead of major international tournaments, a practice designed to give national teams the time needed to prepare properly.

The 2025 AFCON, scheduled to run in Morocco from December 21 until January 18, has drawn strong criticism from Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele. He argues that the compressed window will inevitably disrupt preparations.  

For South Africa, the impact may be less severe, as most of their squad is locally based and therefore more readily available. Even so, the broader implications for African football are significant. 

FIFA’s circular does allow for negotiations between clubs and federations to secure earlier releases, and in some cases, these talks have been successful. Yet the overriding concern remains: the shortened release period places added strain on teams and raises pressing questions about fairness, respect, and the value placed on Africa’s premier football competition.

"I would say it is totally unfair and unacceptable, because when you look at it - you start to make assumptions that maybe FIFA does not take African football too serious, as they do with Europeans. You start to feel less important compared to other leagues. That is why I say CAF needs to start making that point to FIFA, even now with AFCON being played in December, sometimes you start in January, and you have to go play the World Cup right after," said Mkhalele as quoted by SABC Sport.

"In actual fact, looking at the planning of CAF, playing the AFCON closer to the World Cup, I can say on one hand it is good on the other it brings more disadvantage to us. Especially, in this new FIFA format where you have 48 teams playing in different altitudes, so it really becomes difficult for Africa teams to plan. You also saw that FIFA has allowed clubs to release players on the 15th, I feel that this will also have a negative impact in preparation for the World Cup."

While assistant coach Mkhalele has made his views clear, the South African national team is pressing ahead with the time available to them, determined to put the finishing touches on their preparations before departing for Morocco.  

Under the guidance of head coach Hugo Broos, Bafana have already settled into training at the Tuks High Performance Centre in Pretoria, using the facilities in the nation’s capital to sharpen fitness and refine tactical plans. The squad will remain in Pretoria until December 17, after which they will board their flight to North Africa, ready to represent the country on the continent’s biggest football stage.

Before their journey, however, Broos’ men face one final test on home soil. On Tuesday, December 16, they will line up against Ghana, the four‑time African champions, in what promises to be a crucial warm‑up fixture. The encounter offers South Africa a valuable opportunity to measure themselves against one of Africa’s most decorated sides.

As Bafana Bafana prepare to leave South Africa, the squad will have only a handful of days to settle into their new surroundings in Morocco and adjust to the conditions before opening their AFCON campaign. 

Their first assignment in Group B comes against Angola on Monday, December 22, a fixture that will set the tone for the rest of their journey. Four days later, on December 26, they face the formidable challenge of Egypt, one of the continent’s most decorated sides. The group stage will then conclude with a clash against Zimbabwe on December 29, a match that could prove decisive in determining South Africa’s path forward in the tournament.