AFCON 2025 - Habib Beye tackles FIFA on the players' release date

 

The coach of the Stade Rennais, Habib Beye, a finalist in the 2002 AFCON with Senegal, made a big rant against FIFA which decided to grant clubs an exemption until 15 December for the release of players, 6 days before the start of the 2025 AFCON. Knowing that the date of December 8 had initially been communicated to the federations, the former defender of the Lions denounces a lack of respect towards the coaches and the Federations of the countries participating in the competition.

« I’m not surprised by what’s happening because, in a way, this interference or side where you can impact this competition at the last moment thinking that it is a minor competition, it has already existed in the past. As a former international, I have already experienced this kind of thing where, in fact, we feel like we can move this AFCON whenever we want, we can place it wherever we want, we can give the organization we want and it does not happen like that in other federations or other international competitions," 

Beye regretted at a press conference this Thursday.

Then to add:

 "The AFCON, everyone knows that it has been placed there for a very long time. It was moved there for the Club World Cup and from the moment it was moved there, everyone knew. And if we had been asked to release our players on the 8th, we would have done it on the 8th. And we are part of the clubs that have put no pressure on any federation to keep our players.  Our players today will stay until the 15th, we are very happy to have them. But on the other hand, if we look at the side of the selectors and federations, I find that incorrect.”