Arsenal midseason advantage: Why AFCON may not threaten the Gunners

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The Africa Cup of Nations has disrupted football in Europe for a long time. Every few years, Premier League managers lose key players for several weeks in the midst of the season. In some cases, they will strip down tactics, rotate heavily, and survive tough stretches without their stars.

In 2026, the tournament arrives once more at a crucial moment in the race for the Premier League title. But the situation at Arsenal is quite different to how many will expect.

Arsenal are currently trying to keep their place at the top of the table, and are favoured to go all the way according to expert EPL predictions. But will AFCON be the thing that stops them? Unsurprisingly, this season’s knowledge might be more reassuring to the Gunners than in previous years.

A rare break: Arsenal barely feel AFCON’s impact

Arsenal face this AFCON cycle with less disruption than many Premier League rivals. Last year and in previous seasons, the Gunners have frequently lost key players on international duty. The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mohamed Elneny, and Thomas Partey were just a few of the international players missing. Their absence often led to Mikel Arteta being forced into makeshift line-ups and mid-season patches.

Now things look completely different. There just aren’t as many Arsenal players heading to AFCON this year. The core of the team stays put. That’s a huge deal when the title race is this tight.

While other clubs lose star strikers, captains, or key defenders for a whole month, Arsenal’s main lineup doesn’t really change. No major defenders gone. No midfield ripped apart. No one up front missing. For Arteta, it’s pretty much the dream scenario.

AFCON shakes up the title race

If you want to see why this matters, just look at what AFCON usually does to Premier League contenders:

Team chemistry gets wrecked: January is already wild; league games, cups, Europe. Losing players to AFCON forces managers to break up the partnerships and rhythm they spent months building, especially in the heart of midfield and attack.

Players come back tired (or injured): Even when players return, they’re often drained or nursing knocks. It takes time to get back up to Premier League speed.

Dropped points pile up: History’s clear: teams missing key players for AFCON usually stumble. A couple of draws or a surprise loss in January can completely flip the title race.

Arsenal have felt all this before. But this year, the squad is set up so AFCON just isn’t the same kind of problem.

Why Arsenal shouldn’t lose their lead

The big advantage? Stability. With almost everyone sticking around, Arteta can actually keep things consistent.

Training remains uninterrupted

No surprise holes in the squad. No need for wild tactical experiments. Nobody calling up half the academy overnight.

The team gets to train together, fully focused, right when it matters most. Most top teams can’t say the same in January.

No broken partnerships

Saliba and Gabriel at the back, Rice running midfield, Odegaard pulling the strings, Saka, Martinelli, and the rest up front. All of them stick around, keeping Arsenal’s style sharp.

No mental disruption

When your best players leave, it messes with the team’s mood and confidence. Arsenal look to have dodged that bullet completely.

Rivals get weaker

While Arsenal keep their best, plenty of their rivals lose key starters. That can only help the Gunners’ cause.

Potential risks Arsenal must still navigate

AFCON isn’t wrecking Arsenal’s season, but it doesn’t mean they’re in the clear. There are still some real challenges ahead:

Injuries to key players

If Saka, Rice, or Saliba pick up knocks, that could hurt way more than any AFCON absence. Arteta is already minus one key player for a month or two. Saliba’s partner Gabriel Magalhaes was injured while on duty for Brazil and his loss could have a direct impact on the Gunner’s quest for the Premiership title.

The fixture pile-up

January’s brutal even without international assignments. The schedule’s packed, and fatigue is always lurking.

Relentless rivals

Man City and Liverpool know how to survive this period. If they keep winning, Arsenal can’t afford any slip-ups.

The question of depth

Arsenal still lean hard on their core players. Any drop in form or fitness could cost them.

Bottom line: AFCON probably won’t break Arsenal, it might even help

For once, Arsenal get to approach an AFCON window with calm. The squad is complete, the system stays the same, and the title push keeps rolling. In a race where every detail matters, that stability could be the edge Arsenal need.

Sure, AFCON will shape the league, but this time, it’s Arsenal’s rivals who’ll feel the pinch, not Arsenal. If the Gunners keep their heads, stay healthy, and use this window to build momentum, the tournament could boost their title chase instead of wrecking it.

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