The 2023-24 Premier League season will be impacted by two major international tournaments taking place across January and February — the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the Asian Cup.
AFCON 2023 takes place between January 13 and February 11 in the Ivory Coast, with the tournament pushed back six months to avoid the rainy season. Senegal are the defending champions after their penalty shootout victory over record seven-time winners Egypt in the final of the 2021 tournament. Morocco go into the tournament as the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup following their historic run to the last four in Qatar less than a year ago.
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The 2023 Asian Cup takes place between January 12 and February 10 in Qatar, having been delayed due to the high summer temperatures in the Gulf state. Qatar are the reigning champions following their victory over record four-time winners Japan in the 2019 final.
Up to four Premier League gameweeks will be impacted by the tournament. Here, The Athletic breaks down all the players from English football’s top flight who could participate in the mid-season tournaments…
Arsenal
- Thomas Partey (Ghana)
- Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)
- Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan)
Aston Villa
- Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)
Brighton
- Tariq Lamptey (Ghana)
- Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast)
- Kaoru Mitoma (Japan)
Brentford
- Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
- Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)
- Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon)
- Kim Ji-soo (South Korea)
- Saman Ghoddos (Iran)
Bournemouth
- Hamed Traore (Ivory Coast)
- Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso)
- Antoine Semenyo (Ghana)
Burnley
- Samuel Bastien (DR Congo)
- Lyle Foster (South Africa)
- Anass Zaroury (Morocco)
Chelsea
(Photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
- Nicolas Jackson (Senegal)
Crystal Palace
- Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana)
- Cheick Doucoure (Mali)
- Jordan Ayew (Ghana)
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Everton
- Abdoulaye Doucoure (Mali)
- Idrissa Gueye (Senegal)
Fulham
- Calvin Bassey (Nigeria)
- Fode Ballo-Toure (Senegal)
- Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)
- Tyrese Francois (Australia)
Liverpool
(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
- Water Endo (Japan)
Luton Town
- Issa Kabore (Burkina Faso)
- Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (DR Congo)
Manchester City
- N/A
Manchester United
- Andre Onana (Cameroon)
- Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco)
- Amad (Ivory Coast)
- Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)
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Newcastle United
- N/A
Nottingham Forest
- Moussa Niakhate (Senegal)
- Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast)
- Willy Boly (Ivory Coast)
- Ola Aina (Nigeria)
- Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal)
- Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast)
- Taiwo Awoniyi (Nigeria)
- Emmanuel Dennis (Nigeria)
Sheffield United
- Ismaila Coulibaly (Mali)
- Anis Ben Slimane (Tunisia)
Tottenham Hotspur
(Photo: Luke Walker/Getty Images)
- Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)
- Yves Bissouma (Mali)
- Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
West Ham United
- Nayef Aguerd (Morocco)
- Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)
- Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)
- Said Benrahma (Algeria)
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)
- Boubacar Traore (Mali)
- Hwang Hee-chan (South Korea)
(Top photo: Getty Images)
