Blow for Egypt as Salah is ruled out of AFCON 2027 qualifiers

Egypt have been dealt a blow ahead of their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, with Mohamed Salah set to miss their away fixture against South Sudan on 29 September.

The Trabzonspor forward will sit out the qualifier because the match is being played on an artificial surface, with the Egyptian Football Association saying the decision was taken to protect the 34-year-old from the physical demands of synthetic turf.

Salah remains part of Egypt’s AFCON 2027 campaign but will not travel for the meeting with South Sudan.

The Egyptian Football Association confirmed that the national team’s technical staff had decided against using the forward because the match will take place on an artificial pitch.

“The national team's technical staff has decided to rest Mohamed Salah for the South Sudan match on Sept. 29 because the surface at the stadium where the match will be played is artificial turf,” the federation said.

The decision is specifically intended to protect Salah rather than punish or exclude him from the national team setup.

Salah has become one of Egypt’s most important players over the years, and the federation appears keen to avoid exposing him to unnecessary physical demands on a playing surface different from the natural grass he normally encounters.

Salah’s absence comes at an important stage of Egypt’s qualifying campaign.

The Pharaohs are preparing to travel to South Sudan on Tuesday, 29 September, looking to respond after being held to a goalless draw by Angola in their previous AFCON qualifier.

Without Salah, Egypt will have to find another source of attacking threat as they attempt to claim a positive result away from home.

The Trabzonspor forward will instead remain fresh for Egypt’s subsequent fixtures, with the federation making clear that his omission is precautionary and that he remains part of the wider campaign.

For Egypt, the priority is securing qualification for AFCON 2027, while Salah’s protection remains a key consideration as the national team balances short-term results with the long-term availability of its star forward.