Mohamed Salah could miss 9 games due to AFCON

Morocco is set to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from December 21, 2025, and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is expected to report early to Egypt’s national team camp, likely departing at least a week before the tournament begins. This means Salah could miss up to nine games for Liverpool during a critical period of the Premier League season.

The article highlights that with AFCON overlapping the busy Christmas and New Year schedule of the Premier League, Liverpool will have to manage without their star player as Egypt looks to make a deep run in the competition. Salah’s absence would come at a congested time for the Reds, who face multiple fixtures in quick succession. The exact number of matches Salah misses could rise to nine depending on Egypt’s progress in the tournament.

The piece emphasizes the impact of Salah’s international duty on Liverpool’s title ambitions, noting that the club might struggle to replace his goals and creativity in the squad. With every Premier League point crucial in the title race, Salah being unavailable for almost a quarter of Liverpool’s remaining fixtures after the start of AFCON could prove challenging for manager Arne Slot.

In summary, Liverpool’s planning for the winter months will be complicated by Salah’s participation in the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, with the forward potentially missing up to nine club games if Egypt advances far in the tournament. This situation underscores the ongoing challenge top European clubs face when their African stars are called up for international duty during the continental championship.