Rest due to artificial turf concerns: Salah not playing against South Sudan.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has decided not to field Egypt national team captain and star forward Mohamed Salah in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against South Sudan on September 29.

Egypt began their AFCON qualifying campaign with a goalless draw against Angola at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday. However, Salah is being rested for the next match, scheduled to take place at Juba Stadium in South Sudan. This precautionary decision was reached through a mutual agreement between the national team's technical staff and Salah—not due to an existing injury, but to avoid the physical risks and potential for injury associated with the pitch's artificial turf.

The EFA stated that this arrangement was finalized between the Egyptian technical team and Salah prior to the match against Angola to ensure the player's fitness is not compromised during a busy season. Notably, following a successful nine-year stint at Liverpool, the 33-year-old forward is currently playing for a top Turkish club this season.