Ghana football icon Asamoah Gyan has likened the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to the World Cup, underscoring the tournament’s significance for African players.
Despite its prestige, AFCON has faced criticism over its timing, often scheduled in the middle of the European season.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand, Gyan, who has represented Ghana in several editions of the tournament, said, “Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is like a World Cup to me.”
The former Sunderland striker called for a review of the tournament’s calendar, urging officials to consider moving it to the European off-season.
“It is something I have thought about all these years because it affects most of the clubs with African players. I believe it should get to a time that FIFA or CAF should make a decision that it should be played off-season,” the former Sunderland forward said.
Gyan highlighted the impact on clubs, noting that top teams can lose key players in January and see their form suffer.
Yet, he stressed the tournament’s importance to players: “You can see clubs at the top of the league table, and their players leave for AFCON in January, and they start dropping points. However, AFCON is like a World Cup to me, and that is what every African footballer thinks,” he added.
Ghana’s all-time leading scorer featured in the 2010 and 2015 AFCON finals against Egypt and Ivory Coast, finishing as runners-up on both occasions.
The 2025 AFCON final will see Morocco face Senegal on Sunday, January 18.