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Egypt will look to claim its first victory in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when it faces South Sudan next Tuesday, though it will have to manage without captain and star player Mohamed Salah, who won't even travel with the squad for the fixture.
Morale remains elevated following a landmark 2026 World Cup campaign in which Salah helped Egypt achieve its first-ever tournament victory, advance past the round of 16 and take reigning champion Argentina to the wire.
But the 2026 World Cup is now firmly in the past, and Egypt made an underwhelming start to its AFCON qualifying campaign, managing only a goalless draw at home to Angola in a game where Salah was largely neutralized during his 60-minute appearance.
A win over South Sudan is crucial for Egypt, yet Salah will sit the match out following a mutual decision reached between the player, the head coach and the football federation.
Why Mohamed Salah Will Skip Egypt's Next Match
Salah will be absent from Egypt's away fixture against South Sudan due to the match being played on the artificial surface at Juba Stadium in the nation's capital.
"The Egypt national team's technical staff, led by Hossam Hassan, has decided to rest Mohamed Salah for the match against South Sudan scheduled for Sept. 29 because of the stadium's 'Turf' (artificial) playing surface," the Egypt football federation announced in an official statement, via The Athletic.
"It was agreed between the national team's technical staff and Mohamed Salah before the Angola match that he would not play against South Sudan, and the technical staff preferred this approach in order to protect the player."
Athletes across multiple sports have long voiced their opposition to artificial turf, with players overwhelmingly preferring natural grass. The debate intensified this summer when eight of the 16 World Cup host venues across North America were required to swap out artificial turf for natural grass ahead of staging matches.
When Lionel Messi joined MLS in 2023, he sat out a match at Atlanta United's turf-covered Mercedes-Benz Stadium. While Messi later said he had no objection to playing on artificial surfaces and has since done so on several occasions, other high-profile stars including Didier Drogba and Zlatan Ibrahimović also skipped games for the same reason, citing an elevated risk of injury.
At 34, Egypt is placing Salah's physical wellbeing above all else and refuses to take unnecessary chances—even in the absence of conclusive scientific proof of greater injury risk on turf. Egypt appears determined to safeguard its key player for the challenges ahead.
Egypt Need Mohamed Salah, Who's Started the Season on Fire
It is evident that Egypt are eager to keep Salah fresh, particularly given that he appears to have rediscovered his best form at Trabzonspor following a difficult final campaign at Liverpool.
The iconic winger is thriving in Türkiye, contributing seven goals and two assists across his opening eight appearances for his new side. Salah netted a hat-trick and added an assist as Trabzonspor dismantled reigning league champions Galatasaray 4–0 in their final outing before the international break.
Despite a subdued display against Angola, Salah remains indispensable to Egypt's fortunes, as he demonstrated throughout the 2026 World Cup. Leaving him out against South Sudan is undeniably a cautious call, but Egypt are still strong favorites to take all three points. The decision will inevitably face scrutiny should the result not go their way.
Whatever happens in Tuesday's encounter, Salah is anticipated to return to action for Egypt when the side hosts South Africa in a friendly on Saturday, Oct. 4, bringing the team's September-October international window to a close.