Mohamed Salah will miss Egypt’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against South Sudan due to concerns over the artificial turf surface at Juba, team officials announced. The fixture is scheduled for Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. local time.
Turf Concerns Keep Salah in Cairo
Coaching Staff Cites Injury Prevention
The Egyptian national team coaching staff confirmed the decision in an official statement, explaining that the veteran forward was left behind in order to protect him from potential injury on the synthetic pitch in Juba. According to the team’s release, management reached a pre-arranged agreement with the player prior to their previous fixture against Angola.
Inside the Official Announcement
« Le staff technique de l’équipe nationale égyptienne a décidé de laisser Mohamed Salah au repos pour le match contre le Soudan du Sud en raison de la surface de jeu », the team statement read, adding that management prioritized this protective approach following discussions prior to the Angola encounter.
Managing the Veteran’s Minutes
The 34-year-old forward recently featured in Egypt’s scoreless draw against Angola, where he started the match before being substituted by his manager at the hour mark. Following that appearance, he will now receive a scheduled rest period rather than making the journey to South Sudan for the qualification fixture.
