The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has announced that Mohamed Salah will not be part of Egypt’s squad for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against South Sudan due to concerns over the artificial turf at the match venue. The decision was made to protect Salah from potential injuries associated with playing on such surfaces.
Salah, who recently transferred from Liverpool to Turkiye’s Trabzonspor, participated in Egypt's opening qualifier against Angola but was substituted in the second half. The EFA stated that the technical staff, led by coach Hossam Hassan, had agreed with Salah prior to the Angola match that he would not play against South Sudan.
Salah has scored 68 goals for the national team, just one short of matching the all-time record of 69 held by coach Hossam Hassan. The match against South Sudan is scheduled for September 29 at Juba Stadium, which features an artificial turf pitch. Egypt is competing in Group B of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers, which also includes Angola, South Sudan, and Malawi. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, featuring 24 teams. Egypt has not won the AFCON championship since 2010.