Photo by Aleksandr Galichkin via Unsplash
With all national squads now confirmed for AFCON 2025 in Morocco, the impact on Ligue 1 clubs is clearly taking shape. Around 50 players from France’s top division will leave their clubs to represent their countries during the tournament.
Thanks to the winter break, the disruption to the league calendar will remain limited. Ligue 1 pauses on December 15 and resumes on January 2. However, the absences could still weigh heavily on the Coupe de France round of 32, the 17th and 18th league matchdays, and the Trophée des Champions on January 8, which directly concerns PSG and Marseille.
Clubs Facing the Biggest Disruptions
Some clubs will need to navigate a particularly delicate period. Paris FC and FC Lorient are the most affected, each losing five players to AFCON. For squads with limited depth, the length of their players’ tournament runs could prove decisive.
Several other teams are also significantly impacted, with four players absent, potentially affecting squad balance and rotation during a critical stretch of the season.
Ligue 1 Clubs Affected by AFCON 2025 (Club-by-Club)
| Club | Players Called Up | Players |
| Paris FC | 5 | Samir Chergui, Ilan Kebbal, Hamari Traoré, Moses Simon, Jean-Philippe Krasso |
| FC Lorient | 5 | Aiyegun Tosin, Montassar Talbi, Arsène Kouassi, Darlin Yongwa, Arthur Avom Ebong |
| OGC Nice | 4 | Hicham Boudaoui, Yehvann Diouf, Antoine Mendy, Ali Abdi |
| Lille OSC | 4 | Aïssa Mandi, Hamza Igamane, Chancel Mbemba, Ngal’Ayel Mukau |
| FC Metz | 4 | Habib Diallo, Cheikh Tidiane Sabaly, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Uriel-Michel Mboula |
| Angers SCO | 4 | Ousmane Camara, Jacques Ekomie, Jim Allevinah, Hervé Koffi |
| Le Havre AC | 3 | Mory Diaw, Mbwana Samatta, Lionel Mpasi |
| Stade Rennais | 3 | Abdelhamid Aït-Boudlal, Seko Fofana, Mahamadou Nagida |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2 | Achraf Hakimi, Ibrahim Mbaye |
| Olympique de Marseille | 2 | Nayef Aguerd, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang |
| AS Monaco | 2 | Krépin Diatta, Lamine Camara |
| RC Strasbourg | 2 | Mamadou Sarr, Guéla Doué |
| Stade Brestois | 2 | Kamory Doumbia, Eric-Junior Dina Ebimbe |
| FC Nantes | 2 | Mostafa Mohamed, Chidozie Awaziem |
| AJ Auxerre | 2 | Lassine Sinayoko, Danny Namaso |
| Olympique Lyonnais | 2 | Moussa Niakhaté, Clinton Mata |
| RC Lens | 1 | Mamadou Sangaré |
| Toulouse FC | 1 | Frank Magri |
A Manageable Impact, But Not Without Consequences
At the other end of the spectrum, Lens and Toulouse are barely affected, losing just one player each. Clubs such as PSG, Marseille, Monaco, and Lyon should also manage thanks to squad depth, even if key players are involved.
Ultimately, AFCON 2025’s winter scheduling limits structural damage to Ligue 1. Yet for teams with smaller squads or multiple departures, even a short absence could prove costly, especially if their players reach the latter stages of the tournament in Morocco.
