Liverpool faces a new problem with Salah.

Mohamed Salah could miss up to 10 Liverpool matches in the 2025/26 season due to the impact of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) schedule.

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

The controversy surrounding Mohamed Salah's contract has finally ended, but Liverpool will face a new problem with the Egyptian striker. According to an analysis by The Times , Liverpool risk losing their key player for 10 matches next season due to conflicts between the FIFA and CAF match schedules.

Earlier this season, CAF had planned to hold the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the summer, instead of the early part of the year as previously planned. However, FIFA's decision to host the 2025 Club World Cup in June and July of this year in the United States disrupted all of CAF's plans.

This means AFCON not only has to maintain its traditional schedule at the beginning of next year, but also must take place during the peak of the 2025/26 English football season. According to the proposed schedule, AFCON 2025 will run from December 21st to January 18th, 2026, a period when the Premier League is at its most intense.

With the travel and rest time before and after an AFCON tournament with the Egyptian national team, Salah could miss six Premier League matches, one Champions League match, one FA Cup match, and two League Cup matches. This information is causing great concern for the Liverpool management.

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

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations therefore had to be held earlier than usual, coinciding with the peak of the Premier League season. Over the past half-decade, AFCON has undergone significant reforms. The tournament switched to odd-numbered years from 2013 onwards to avoid conflicts with the Euros or the World Cup.

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

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