The African Football Confederation (CAF) announced in an official statement that "the upcoming edition of the tournament will be held in Morocco, from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, following a lengthy meeting today of the executive committee." The schedule change from summer to winter was made to avoid overlap with the newly structured FIFA Club World Cup in summer 2025. CAF President Patrice Motsepe expressed confidence in the success of the next edition of the tournament in Morocco, noting that "the executive committee meeting discussed complex and challenging issues related to the match calendar." He added: "CAF expresses its gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, the Moroccan Football Federation and its President Fouzi Lekjaa, and the Moroccan government and people for hosting the tournament."