London: Egypt’s preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 have been dealt a potential setback, with Mohamed Salah’s participation in the friendly against Nigeria now in doubt due to travel delays.
The Liverpool forward is expected to arrive in Cairo during the early hours of Tuesday, just hours before kickoff of the international friendly scheduled for 18:00 GMT at Cairo International Stadium. The tight turnaround has raised concerns within the Egyptian camp over whether Salah can safely be included in the matchday squad.
Head coach Hossam Hassan is reportedly weighing the risks of fielding his star player, particularly with AFCON 2025 fast approaching. Salah, who plays a pivotal role in Egypt’s attack, missed the team’s most recent training session, along with fellow forward Omar Marmoush.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) confirmed that Salah’s delayed arrival was due to logistical issues during his travel from England. As a result, his official reporting date to the national camp was postponed until match day, limiting his recovery and preparation time.
The friendly against Nigeria is Egypt’s final warm-up fixture before the team travels to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs from December 21 to January 18. Following the match, the Pharaohs are scheduled to depart for Agadir on December 17 at 15:00 GMT to continue their tournament preparations.
While the full 28-man AFCON squad has now assembled, Salah and Marmoush remain the only players yet to fully integrate into team activities. The technical staff is expected to take a cautious approach to avoid any injury risks that could impact Egypt’s AFCON campaign.
