With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations now underway, Mohamed Salah once again finds himself at the center of both international excitement and club-level uncertainty. The Egyptian superstar has departed Merseyside to represent his country on Africa’s biggest footballing stage, but unlike previous tournaments, this time his absence carries a deeper sense of consequence for Liverpool. Given the recent strain in relationship between player and club, Mohamed Salah's time as a Liverpool player looks to be coming to an end.
There is genuine debate among fans and pundits alike about whether Salah has already played his final match in a red shirt. In fact, it's even possible he has played his final game as a Red. Having departed for international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah could now be nearing an acrimonious end to his illustrious time at Anfield. Contract uncertainty, persistent transfer rumors, and Liverpool’s evolving tactical direction have all contributed to speculation that the club legend may soon move on.
Yet, football rarely follows a simple narrative. There remains a realistic scenario in which Salah completes his AFCON campaign, returns to Liverpool, and plays a decisive role in the business end of the 2025/26 season. Yet there's also the potential that Salah returns to the club following the conclusion of Egypt's journey through AFCON, ready to help press on towards the latter stages of the 2025/26 season. Much depends on Egypt’s progress in the tournament and whether any developments occur in the January transfer window while he is away.
The Sporting News brings you a full overview of when Salah could potentially make his way back to Merseyside, when his matches with Egypt will be, and what games Salah would miss thanks to international duty. With Liverpool competing across multiple fronts domestically and in Europe, Salah’s availability—or lack thereof—could have a significant impact on their campaign.
When is AFCON 2025?
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will begin on December 21, contested for a month all the way up until the final on January 18. Originally scheduled for this past June and July, AFCON was pushed back to the winter due to the 2025 Club World Cup scheduled for action in the United States over the same time. This scheduling shift has once again placed European clubs in the difficult position of losing key players during a congested domestic period.
The structure of the tournament follows a familiar pattern. The group stage runs from December 21 through December 31, before the knockout rounds commence in early January. The Round of 16 takes place between January 3 and January 6, followed by quarterfinals on January 9 and January 10. The semifinals are scheduled for January 14, the third-place playoff on January 17, and the final on January 18.
When is Mohamed Salah back from AFCON?
All players will return to their clubs from Africa Cup of Nations duty once their team is eliminated from the competition, unless injury or other exception sees them depart early. For Salah, the timeline is heavily dependent on Egypt’s success. Egypt are one of the contenders for the title, and therefore it's likely that Salah will return to Liverpool later in the competition.
Technically, the earliest Salah or any player could be back with their club would be the end of the group stage on December 31. However, thanks to Egypt's status as a true contender in the competition alongside their soft group-stage draw, this is highly unlikely. Anything short of qualification for the knockout rounds would be considered a major disappointment for the Pharaohs.
Should Egypt top their group, they would likely progress to at least the quarterfinals on January 9. It's even possible that the Pharaohs advance through to the semifinals or beyond, which would see Salah return in mid-January. This extended run would mean he misses a significant stretch of Liverpool’s domestic fixtures.
Complicating matters further is the January transfer window. With Salah, there is also the distinct possibility that he is sold in the January transfer window, potentially meaning he would not return to the club at all should a deal progress prior to the end of the AFCON tournament. While no transfer has been finalized, the speculation alone adds another layer of uncertainty to Liverpool’s planning.
Egypt AFCON schedule and group outlook
Egypt were drawn into Group B at AFCON 2025, facing South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe. Finishing top two in the group sees them qualify directly for the knockout stage, while they can also potentially qualify with a third-place finish if they are one of the best four sides to come third across the groups. On paper, Egypt are favorites to progress, especially with Salah leading the line.
Winning the group places them in the top half of the bracket against a third-place qualifier, while a second-place finish in Group B would see them enter in the bottom half against the runner-up in Group F, which includes Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique. Each scenario presents different challenges, but Egypt’s pedigree suggests they will aim for first place.
Incredibly, the schedule has shaken out favorably for Egypt such that winning Group B would see them play every match in the same venue, Adrar Stadium in Agadir, until the semifinals. This stability could work to their advantage by reducing travel fatigue and allowing consistency in preparation.
Egypt open their campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22, before facing South Africa on December 26 and Angola on December 29. If they advance, their knockout matches begin in early January, with potential appearances in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final depending on results.
What Salah’s absence means for Liverpool
Salah will miss a considerable chunk of time as Liverpool push through multiple competitions. Thankfully for the Reds, the Champions League takes a break for the winter holidays much like other domestic competitions around Europe and the rest of the world. However, the Premier League keeps on trucking through the winter unabated, and therefore he will miss a number of big domestic matches.
Salah is guaranteed to miss at least three league matches. He would return for potential participation in the trip to Fulham on January 4 should Egypt be stunned by group-stage elimination, but in all likelihood he would miss that game and potentially the important clash with title contenders Arsenal on January 8. These fixtures could have a major influence on Liverpool’s position in the title race.
A push to the later stages of AFCON could see Salah miss even more games, and depending on the rest he is given after the competition he could even be absent from the return to Champions League play on January 21 in France against Marseille. For Liverpool, managing without their talisman during such a demanding period will test the squad’s depth and resilience.
As AFCON 2025 unfolds, Mohamed Salah’s journey with Egypt will be followed just as closely on Merseyside as it is in Cairo. Whether he returns as a Liverpool player or not, the coming weeks may define the next chapter of both his career and Liverpool’s season.
