Premier League clubs, including title-chasing Liverpool, face being without their African players for up to six weeks next season after it was confirmed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations is to revert to its usual January slot.
The tournament, to be held in Cameroon, was initially scheduled for the summer but that falls during the country’s rainy season.
Following talks between Confederation of African Football (Caf) and the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), it has been decided that the tournament instead will now take place in January and February 2021 - right in the middle of Europe's domestic football season.