Liverpool fans rejoiced when Mohamed Salah signed a new two-year contract in April, but that bubble has been burst somewhat after the Premier League fixture release, and a heavyweight clash with Arsenal, coincided with when he'll be away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt.
Even well past his 30th birthday, Salah showed just how good he is by putting down one of the all-time great Premier League seasons in 2024–25.
His epic return of 47 goals and assists in 38 league appearances, playing every match, was even more remarkable given that his powers looked to be finally waning in the second half of the previous campaign. But Salah has been re-energised by Arne Slot.
Liverpool are moving to reinvent for the long-term future. Trent Alexander-Arnold is gone, there is interest in Andrew Robertson, and Darwin Núñez is surplus to requirement. Jeremie Frimpong is through the door, Florian Wirtz is coming, and so too is Milos Kerkez. There is also renewed competition in goal thanks to Giorgi Mamardashvili’s delayed arrival.
But Salah is as important as ever. And that is why the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, is a slight concern for Liverpool.
Record seven-time champions Egypt have qualified for the 27th time and are looking for their first African triumph since 2010. Salah himself has never actually won it, making his debut in 2011, but has been a runner-up twice, in 2017 in 2021. International success is the one thing he’s missing.
But because the Africa Cup of Nations falls during the club season, he will miss Liverpool games. If Egypt make it all the way to the final, it will be six that he’s absent for. Even if the Pharaohs expectedly fall at the group stage—they should progress from a group that contains South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe—Salah would miss three Liverpool matches.
AFCON doesn’t begin for Egypt until December 22, against Zimbabwe—all their group games will be played in Agadir, Morocco—but Salah would have to be with the squad before Liverpool are due to face Tottenham Hotspur (away) in the Premier League on December 20.
The Reds are then due to face Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United in the remainder of December, after which Salah could return to Liverpool if Egypt fall at the first hurdle.
But if they get into the knockout stages, Salah could miss further Premier League games against Fulham, Arsenal—a potentially huge clash at the Emirates Stadium, and Burnley. In addition, the FA Cup third round will squeeze in on January 10. If Egypt are in the AFCON final, Salah would also likely miss Liverpool’s matchday seven fixture in the Champions League league phase, which is scheduled for two or three days after the showpiece at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Liverpool Fixtures Mohamed Salah Could Miss While at 2025 AFCON
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Mohamed Salah May Miss One of Liverpool's Biggest Premier League Games.
