The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations could have a major impact on the Premier League at the start of 2024 as a host of star names join up with their national sides.
The prospect of a mid-season international tournament is never popular for club teams with the 2022 FIFA World Cup forcing a historic pause to the European club calendar due to the finals being staged in Qatar’s winter in November and December last year.
However, the schedule of AFCON places the competition in January in the majority of years in which it has taken place, with the Europe’s domestic football impacted as a result.
The 2023 version (played in 2024) will run for just over a month and supporters of Premier League teams will be hoping for an early return for their star names.
One of those is Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who was named in the Cameroon squad for the finals. His club teammate, Sofyan Amrabat, will also be at AFCON in January, representing Morocco.
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When is Andre Onana back from AFCON?
Onana was named in the Cameroon squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, held in the Ivory Coast. His side will face Guinea, Senegal and Gambia in Group C, with those games running from January 15, 2024 to January 23, 2024.
Should Cameroon progress all the way to the final, Onana will not return to Man United until after that game on February 11, 2024.
When is the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations?
The Africa Cup of Nations starts on January 13, 2024, with the opening match between tournament hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau. The tournament runs all the way to the final on February 11, 2024.
The AFCON includes six groups of four teams (A-F) with the top two automatically qualifying for the Round of 16 stage.
Those 12 teams will be joined by the four best-performing third-placed nations from the six groups, with criteria based on head-to-head results between teams and secondly head-to-head goal difference.
How many Man United games will Andre Onana miss?
Onana was included in the provisional Cameroon squad for the tournament after being recalled by head coach Rigobert Song.
The goalkeeper controversially announced his international retirement during the 2022 World Cup following a fallout with Song over tactics in Qatar, but the pair have since put aside their differences.
FIFA is yet to confirm a formal date for players to be released by their clubs and Cameroon have scheduled pre-AFCON friendlies against Equatorial Guinea and Zambia on January 8 and 9 respectively.
Cameroon have been placed in Group C alongside defending champions Senegal, Guinea and Gambia. Their full group-stage schedule is listed below.
| Match | Date |
| Cameroon vs. Guinea | January 15 |
| Senegal vs. Cameroon | January 19 |
| Gambia vs. Cameroon | January 23 |
United face Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup Third Round on January 8 and a home Premier League game against Tottenham on January 14. Onana is expected to miss both matches.
However, the Premier League takes a two-week break from January 15 to 28, and United will not return to league action until February 1, with a possible FA Cup Fourth Round on January 27-28.
If Cameroon are eliminated at the group stages, Onana will only miss the Wigan and Tottenham games, but the picture is more complicated if they progress into the knockouts.
United have three Premier League matches on the schedule from February 1 to 11 and Onana’s availability will depend on how Cameroon fare at the tournament.
| Man United fixture | Competition | Date | Onana status |
| Wigan Athletic vs. Man United | FA Cup | January 8 | Likely absent due to friendlies |
| Man United vs. Tottenham | Premier League | January 14 | Absent for Cameroon vs. Guinea on Jan 15 |
| TBC | FA Cup | January 27-28 | Available if Cameroon go out in group stages |
| Wolves vs. Man United | Premier League | February 1 | Absent if Cameroon reach quarterfinals |
| Man United vs. West Ham | Premier League | February 4 | Absent if Cameroon reach semifinals |
| Aston Villa vs. Man United | Premier League | February 11 | Absent if Cameroon reach final |
Who will replace Andre Onana for Man United during AFCON?
United will be looking to reduce the impact of losing Onana regardless of the length of his absence for AFCON.
Despite his mixed start to life at United, the former Inter Milan keeper has been ever present, completing every game across all competitions since the start of 2023/24.
The most likely candidate to step in as cover is Turkey international Altay Bayindir who is still waiting for his United debut since joining from Fenerbahce in September.
Bayindir will be an experienced alternative for manager Erik ten Hag and he is expected to get the nod over Tom Heaton and Radek Vitek.
2023 Africa Cup of Nations schedule, dates
Hosts Ivory Coast kick off the opening fixture against Guinea-Bissau on January 13 in Abidjan.
The Round of 16 starts on January 27, with the quarterfinal and semifinals beginning on February 2 and 7 respectively.
| Round | Date |
| Group Stage | January 13-24, 2024 |
| Round of 16 | January 27-30, 2024 |
| Quarterfinal | February 2-3, 2024 |
| Semifinal | February 7, 2024 |
| Third place playoff | February 10, 2024 |
| Final | February 11, 2024 |