AFCON 2025: Arne Slot Confirms Mohamed Salah Set to Join Egypt for AFCON 2025 on December 15

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed that star forward Mohamed Salah will join the Egypt national team for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 on December 15. The announcement provides clarity on Salah’s availability ahead of the continental tournament in Morocco.

Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash against Sunderland at Anfield, Slot told the club’s official website that Salah will remain with Liverpool for their match against Brighton before departing to join Egypt.

“It’s the 15th of December,” Slot said. “As always, there is a player involved, there is the nation involved — Egypt in this situation — and the club, and there are always talks about what is best for all three of us.”

Slot explained that the decision was reached after a collaborative discussion between all three parties — Salah, Liverpool, and the Egyptian Football Association — in accordance with FIFA regulations, which set December 15 as the latest date a player must be released for AFCON.

"The way we have worked is that there's a communication between all three - the player, the club and country," he added. "That's nothing new. But FIFA have said December 15 is the last day a player has to be released."

AFCON 2025 will run in Morocco from December 21 to January 18, with Egypt drawn in Group B alongside South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe.