Rangers set to lose key players due to AFCON schedule switch
Cyriel Dessers, Mohamed Diomande, Hamza Igamane, and Nasser Djiga could miss important away games against Celtic, Aberdeen, and Hearts.
The tournament, usually played in January and February, will now take place in December and January in Morocco.
FIFA changed the dates because of the new format of the Champions League, which has crucial league stage games in late January.
The initial plan to hold the African Cup of Nations this summer was scrapped after the Club World Cup was expanded and scheduled for the same period.
As a result, the tournament is now set to clash with the festive period, posing a challenge for Rangers.
Dessers, Diomande, Igamane, and Djiga are expected to represent Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Burkina Faso respectively at the tournament, with all four countries having qualified.
FIFA has yet to announce the minimum period clubs must release their players for, but it could potentially see the quartet missing five league games and a Scottish Cup tie.
This includes three of their most challenging away trips of the season to Celtic, Aberdeen, and Hearts, with the Old Firm game on January 3.
They could also miss home games against Motherwell and St Mirren, depending on how far they progress in the tournament.
This is the seventh African Cup of Nations in a row to not go ahead as originally scheduled, due to various reasons like instability in Libya, an Ebola outbreak, delays in stadium construction, Covid, and the rainy season.
The new schedule poses a significant challenge for Ibrox boss Russell Martin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
13 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Hearts and Celtic stars earn stats experts team of the week spots
There was late drama at Tannadice on Sunday as Hearts made it consecutive wins in the opening week of the Premiership with last-gasp victory against Dundee United. It was the hosts that held the upper hand when the half-time whistle was blown as an Ivan Dolcek brace helped the Terrors bounce back from a Lawrence Shankland penalty just before the 20-minute mark. Hearts new boy Stuart Findlay restored parity when he found the net on the hour-mark and the former Newcastle United and Kilmarnock defender doubled his tally and earned all three points for his side when he netted the winning goal in the fourth minute of injury-time. Two Hearts players were handed a place in the WhoScored Premiership Team of the Week after they produced impressive performances in the most dramatic of wins. Your next Hearts read: Adam Forrester returns to Hearts - final decision to be made on St Johnstone loan Related topics: CelticPremiership
Glasgow Times
13 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Russell Martin discusses Rangers postponing St Mirren game
The Ibrox side face Viktoria Plzen in a crucial Champions League qualifier second leg and if victorious, they could delay the Paisley trip. The St Mirren clash, scheduled for August 24, would sit between the two-legged play-off against either Red Bull Salzburg or Club Brugge. A new SPFL rule allows clubs to delay one league game if it falls just before a European tie, to aid preparation. It was expected Rangers would use this for the Buddies game, to boost their chances of making the Champions League. However, Rangers manager, Russell Martin, indicated this might not happen. In a press briefing, Martin said: "Well, no decision's been made either way. "I think the plan has always been to play the game unless, depending on what happened on Tuesday, if we get through this and all that stuff. "So it's been flexible. "But our league table this early on will not dictate what we do with a game, honestly. "At the minute I expect we'll play it and if that changes because of whatever reason we feel it will help us... we have to win this game tomorrow first as well. "So we'll see." Rangers must first focus on winning the match against Viktoria Plzen before making any decisions regarding the St Mirren fixture.
Powys County Times
43 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
I was determined to make instant impact, says new Celtic star Benjamin Nygren
The summer signing from Nordsjaelland grabbed his first goal for the club when he swept home Kieran Tierney's low cross to put Celtic in front at Aberdeen on Sunday. The 24-year-old hit the bar on his debut against St Mirren the previous weekend after being preferred to the likes of club record signing Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo in Brendan Rodgers' starting line-up. After hitting 15 goals in the Danish top flight last season and scoring twice in his first four internationals, Nygren was intent on making his mark early. 🕺#ABECEL | #CelticFC🍀 — Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 10, 2025 'I didn't come here to not play,' Nygren said. 'So of course I came here to try to come in fast and also show my abilities in training and training games. So of course I came here to help the team win games.' Nygren also set up Reo Hatate's goal in a 2-0 William Hill Premiership win over the Dons, although he was quick to play down his role in the Japanese midfielder's wonderful finish. However, he could have had a special assist moments later when he played a deft ball over the top which Daizen Maeda latched on to before losing his footing as he ran towards goal. Nygren knows there is a demand to contribute when he gets game time for Celtic, given the strength in depth in Rodgers' midfield. Benjamin Nygren nets his first for Celtic 🎯💚 Finishing from close range after a pinpoint Tierney cross#ABECEL | #CelticFC🍀 — Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 10, 2025 'It's part of football, that's how it is in big clubs,' the former IFK Gothenburg player said. 'It would be weird if there were only 11 good players in such a big team as Celtic. I think we have, I don't know how many, 25-30 good players in Celtic, but only 11 can start the game. 'It's a very long season and now we've only played our two first games, so we will need a lot of players and a lot of good quality players. I think we have that.' Benjamin Nygren delivers the breakthrough with his first goal for the Bhoys ⚽💚#ABECEL | #CelticFC🍀 — Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 10, 2025 Nygren's goal and his near miss against St Mirren both came from similar moves, with the Swede arriving on to a low ball from the left. 'That's also why I scored many goals last season, because I can run a lot,' he said. 'I always come a little bit from behind.' Nygren started in central midfield and finished the game on the wing and is happy to show his versatility. 'I think it's preferably like I started the game, but I'm a player that has played a lot of positions, so for me I don't think too much of the positions, it's football,' he said. 'You need football intelligence. It's all football.'
