Liverpool are likely to be without Mohamed Salah for ten games due to FIFA’s decision to expand the FIFA Club World Cup as well as the tournament being played in the summer.
Salah, earlier this week got fans over the moon by committing his future to the club with a new contract. His new contract will surely help the club secure the Premier League title, and also help the Egyptian forward to clinch the Golden Boot.
However, if Liverpool aim to add more silverware to the cabinet in the 2025/26 campaign, they’ll need to navigate the recurring challenge of the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament regularly deprives the Reds of Salah – and previously Sadio Mane – as they depart to play for their national teams mid-season.
Last season, Salah was absent for five games after travelling to the Ivory Coast to represent Egypt. However, things will be more different this year.
While injuries are unavoidable, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to cause significant disruption next season due to its shift from the usual January-February slot to December-January. The tournament will be held in Morocco from December 21 to January 18, having been rescheduled from this summer to avoid clashing with FIFA’s contentious expanded Club World Cup, which takes place from June 15 to July 13 in the United States.
This change won’t affect many European leagues that observe a winter break, but it could pose challenges for Premier League clubs with African players. Egypt, drawn in Group B, have matches lined up against Zimbabwe on December 22, South Africa on Boxing Day, and Angola on December 29 for their final group game.
With seven titles to their name, Egypt are the most decorated team in AFCON history, and Salah will be eager to keep the record going.
The round-of-16 is slated for January 3-6, the quarter-finals for January 9-10, the semi-finals for January 14, the third-place play-off for January 17, and the final will take place in Rabat on January 18.
The Premier League’s 2025/26 fixtures won’t be released until June 18, but given the packed festive period, it’s certain that Salah will miss some key matches, depending on both the schedule and Egypt’s performance in Morocco
