Salah Ruled Out of Egypt’s Pre-AFCON Clash With Nigeria

Egypt will be without captain Mohamed Salah when they face the Super Eagles in a high-profile pre-AFCON friendly in Cairo on December 14. Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed the forward will not leave for national team duty until December 15, a day after the warm-up match.

Slot explained that the agreement was reached after discussions involving “the player, the club and the country,” adding that “there is communication between all three … that’s nothing new.” He noted that FIFA’s release deadline remains December 15.

Salah will feature for Liverpool in two crucial matches before departing—against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on December 9 and against Brighton on December 13 in the Premier League. However, he will miss the December 20 league game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan had hoped to include the two-time African Footballer of the Year in the friendly against Nigeria and escalated the request to Hany Abu Rida, who contacted Liverpool, but the club maintained its schedule.

Egypt will open their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in a group that includes South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.