Football/CAF grants relief: Coaches now allowed 27-Player squads for AFCON 2023

The Confederation of African Football has decided to ease the burden on coaches ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Instead of the traditional 23 players, the organization now allows coaches to select up to 27 players.

The pleas of various national team coaches seem to have been heard by CAF. Last week, Aliou Cissé spoke out against the strict limit of 23 players, stating,

«Since the start of the qualifiers, all teams have called up between 28 and 30 players, only to later reduce the squad.

Today, everyone is aware of the toughness of this AFCON, the difficulties that exist.

Between underperformance, suspensions, and illnesses, I thought CAF could have at least allowed us to have 26 or 27 players.

In reality, it won’t spoil anything because, for us coaches, it allows us more options.

These are situations where CAF should consult us as technicians», expressed the coach of the Teranga Lions.

Now, Aliou Cissé and several other coaches can breathe a sigh of relief. CAF has reconsidered its stance and decided to permit each coach to select 27 players or fewer.

The information was first provided by the President of the Ivorian Football Federation, Idriss Diallo, before being confirmed by CAF itself.

«CAF has given us information that coaches can select up to 27 players for the AFCON squad. So, Coach Gasset (Ivory Coast’s coach) can choose up to 27 players or fewer if he wishes», explained the President of the Ivorian Football Federation to the press in Tanzania on the eve of the Gambia-Ivory Coast match.

Source: infos-sport