Egypt captain Mohamed Salah will not feature when the Pharaohs travel to face South Sudan in their second 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match, with the Egyptian Football Association citing concerns over the artificial playing surface.
The decision was announced by the EFA on Saturday, September 26, ahead of Tuesday’s Group B encounter at Juba Stadium.
According to the federation, Salah and the national team’s technical staff had already agreed before the opening qualifier that the Trabzonspor forward would sit out the South Sudan fixture because of the type of pitch.
The EFA said the decision was taken as a precaution to protect the 34-year-old from potential injury associated with playing on an artificial surface.
Salah started against Angola
Salah featured for Egypt in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifier against Angola at Cairo International Stadium on Friday.
However, the match ended without a goal, leaving Egypt with one point from their first Group B fixture.
The former Liverpool forward started the game but was substituted during the second half as Egypt struggled to find a breakthrough.
The EFA subsequently confirmed that Salah would not make the trip to South Sudan, stressing that the decision had already been discussed with the player before the Angola match.
Artificial turf behind Salah’s absence
The main reason for Salah’s withdrawal is the playing surface at Juba Stadium, where South Sudan will host Egypt.
Unlike a conventional natural-grass pitch, the venue uses artificial turf. Egypt’s coaching staff opted to keep their captain away from the fixture as a precaution.
The decision means Egypt will have to face South Sudan without one of their most experienced and influential attacking players.
Rather than being linked to a new injury, Salah’s absence has been presented by the EFA as a planned measure intended to preserve his fitness.
Egypt begin AFCON campaign with draw
Egypt’s opening match against Angola ended 0-0, giving both teams a point.
The result means the Pharaohs will be looking to improve their performance in Juba as the qualifying campaign continues.
Egypt, South Sudan, Angola and Malawi make up Group B in the AFCON 2027 qualifying competition.
Malawi began the group campaign with a victory over South Sudan, leaving the early standings tightly contested.
The top two teams from each qualifying group will advance to the 24-team AFCON finals, while the tournament itself will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Salah chasing Egypt’s scoring record
Salah’s absence also means he will have to wait for another opportunity to close in on Egypt’s all-time scoring record.
The Trabzonspor attacker currently has 68 goals for the national team, just one behind Egypt coach and former striker Hossam Hassan, who holds the record with 69 goals.
Salah’s continued importance to the national side has made his availability a major talking point whenever Egypt enters an international window.
His decision to sit out the South Sudan match is therefore particularly notable, although the EFA has made clear that the move is designed around player protection.
Salah’s new club chapter
The South Sudan match will also be one of the first Egypt fixtures Salah misses since his recent move away from Liverpool.
The Egyptian captain recently joined Turkish club Trabzonspor, beginning a new stage of his club career after his long spell in the Premier League.
He made his first appearance of this international window against Angola, but will now return to his club commitments after the agreement to rest him for the Juba fixture.
When will Egypt face South Sudan?
Egypt are scheduled to meet South Sudan on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at Juba Stadium.
Without Salah, coach Hossam Hassan will need to select an alternative attacking setup as Egypt look for their first victory of the qualifying campaign.
The Pharaohs will be hoping to collect maximum points from the fixture after being held by Angola in Cairo.
For Salah, meanwhile, the priority is maintaining his fitness as Egypt’s AFCON qualification campaign and his new season with Trabzonspor continue.
