At just 17 years old, Ibrahim Mbaye is set to experience his first major international tournament. The young Paris Saint-Germain winger has been selected by Senegal for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a call-up that will inevitably force him to miss several matches with PSG — including the Intercontinental Cup.
Still a minor, Mbaye has nonetheless taken a major step in his career by committing to Senegal, his father’s country, which he recently chose to represent at international level. First called up during the November international break, the Parisian quickly made an impression, scoring his first international goal and delivering his first assist in just his second cap, against Kenya.
Those performances were enough to earn him a place in Senegal’s squad for the AFCON 2025, which will take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
Alongside Achraf Hakimi, Mbaye will be one of two PSG players competing in the tournament. Clubs are required to release players to their national teams from Monday, December 15, meaning Mbaye will miss PSG’s final two matches of 2025 — most notably the Intercontinental Cup, scheduled for Wednesday, December 17 in Doha.
His absence is also expected to extend into early 2026, including the Trophée des Champions against Marseille. His return date will ultimately depend on how far Senegal progress in the competition. As one of the tournament favorites, the Lions of Teranga could well go deep — potentially prolonging Mbaye’s time away from Paris.
