Liverpool face new problem with Salah

Mohamed Salah is expected to have a busy 2025/26 season.

The Mohamed Salah contract dispute is finally over, but Liverpool will face a new problem with the Egyptian striker. According to analysis from The Times , Liverpool face the risk of losing their key player for 10 matches next season, due to conflicts between the FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) schedules.

Earlier this season, CAF had planned to hold the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the summer, instead of the first part of the year as before. However, FIFA's decision to hold the 2025 Club World Cup in June and July this year in the United States has upset all CAF's plans.

This means that AFCON will not only have to keep its traditional schedule early next year, but will also be forced to take place during the peak period of English football in 2025/26. According to the planned schedule, AFCON 2025 will take place from December 21 to January 18, 2026, when the Premier League is at its most intense.

With the travel and rest time before and after an AFCON with the Egyptian team, Salah is likely to miss 6 Premier League matches, 1 Champions League match, 1 FA Cup match and 2 English League Cup matches. This is information that makes the "The Kop" leadership extremely worried.

The 2025/26 European football season is expected to start early in August this year, shortening the mid-season break to quickly complete in May 2026, helping players prepare for the World Cup next summer in North America.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will therefore have to be held earlier than usual, coinciding with the Premier League's most intense period. Over the past half-decade, AFCON has undergone significant reforms. The tournament has been held in odd years since 2013, to avoid overlapping with the Euro or World Cup.

The 2025 edition of AFCON, scheduled to take place in Morocco, was originally scheduled for the summer to help players playing in Europe. However, the introduction of the new FIFA Club World Cup a few years ago upset CAF's plans.

Source: https://znews.vn/liverpool-gap-van-de-moi-voi-salah-post1547069.html