Comoros’ chances at Africa Cup of Nations affected by FIFA decision

The chances of making an impact in the opening match of the African Cup of Nations in Comoros have been seriously affected by FIFA’s surprise decision to postpone the release of players, according to coach Stefano Cusin.

The Comoros, the smallest participating country, will compete against the highly sought-after host country Morocco in Rabat on December 21.

However, the extensive preparation plans had to be canceled after FIFA changed the date on which clubs must release players for the national teams competing in the finals.

Last week, world football’s governing body announced that clubs would not have to release players until December 15, seven days before the regulated 14-day period before the kick-off of a continental championship.

It has thrown into disarray plans for pre-tournament camps and friendlies for many of the 24 competing nations.

The Comoros, which is participating in the final for the second time and hopes to repeat the massive devastation it caused during the 2021 edition in Cameroon, is among the worst affected countries, according to Cusin.

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“We had planned a training camp in Tunisia this weekend with a friendly against Botswana,” he told Reuters.

«Everything was ready, but now we have had to change everything. It affects us more than other teams because we are going to play in the opening match.»

The Comoros draw all their players from clubs across Europe and the Middle East.

“Releasing players on December 15 means we will only get four or five training sessions before our first match,” Cusin added.

«We are angry about that; it was not right to tell us that a week earlier. If we had known from the beginning, we could have made a different plan.»

The dates for the upcoming Cup of Nations from December 21 to January 18 were set in such a way as to avoid any conflict with the Champions League and other European club competitions.

Published on December 9, 2025