When is Mohamed Salah back from AFCON? Egypt fixtures, results, stats at Africa Cup of Nations 2023

Feargal Brennan

When is Mohamed Salah back from AFCON? Egypt fixtures, results, stats at Africa Cup of Nations 2023 image

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on January 13, 2024, with 24 teams bidding for continental glory in the Ivory Coast.

Defending champions Senegal are among the favourites to win the title at the tournament, which was moved to the beginning of this year due to concerns over the climate in the host nation in the summer months.

The competition features a host of eye-catching Premier League names, with Liverpool fans keeping a close eye on Egypt's progress following talisman Mohamed Salah's call-up for The Pharaohs.

Despite the Premier League heading into a hybrid winter break in January, Salah will be absent for Liverpool for some key matches as Jurgen Klopp's side battle on four fronts in 2024.

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When is the Africa Cup of Nations 2023?

Ivory Coast get AFCON started on January 13, 2024 up against Guinea-Bissau in Abidjan.

The group stages end on January 24, with the knockout rounds starting three days later, and the final is scheduled for February 11.

The full details are listed below.

StageDatesNations
Group StageJan. 13 — 2424
Round of 16Jan. 27 — 3016
QuarterfinalsFeb. 2 — 38
SemifinalsFeb. 74
3rd Place MatchFeb. 102
FinalFeb. 112

When is Mohamed Salah back from AFCON?

This is the key question on the minds of Liverpool fans with Klopp joking that he hopes Salah will be back as soon as possible before wishing his star man luck at the tournament.

January 22 is Egypt's final group game at AFCON 2023 and Salah will miss a minimum of two games even if his national team fall at the first hurdle in the Ivory Coast.

Those matches include an EFL Cup semifinal first leg at home to Fulham on January 8 and a Premier League clash at Bournemouth on January 21 with Liverpool taking their top-flight break in between those two games.

Salah was forced off injured at half time in Egypt's second group game, in a 2-2 draw with Ghana on January 18, and The Pharaohs are expected to give an update on his recovery in the coming days.

If Salah ends his AFCON tournament in the group stages, he is very unlikely to feature against Fulham in the EFL Cup semifinal second leg on January 24 due to travel and fatigue issues. He is more likely to make his Liverpool return in the FA Cup Fourth Round match against Norwich City or Bristol Rovers on January 27; failing that, he would return for the league meeting with Chelsea at Anfield on January 31.

Defeat in the Round of 16 at the AFCON could see him return for the Chelsea game, but Arsenal away is more realistic, with the latter set for February 3.

If Egypt are knocked out in the quarterfinals or semifinals, Salah should be back for the February 10 game with Burnley, but a run to the final will see him miss all seven of the games listed below.

Games Mohamed Salah could miss while at AFCON 2024

DateCompetitionMatch
Jan. 8, 2024EFL CupSemifinal vs. Fulham
Jan. 21, 2024Premier Leagueat Bournemouth
Jan. 24, 2024EFL CupSemifinal vs. Fulham
Jan. 27, 2024FA CupR4 vs. Norwich/Bristol Rovers
Jan. 31, 2024Premier Leaguevs. Chelsea
Feb. 3, 2024Premier Leagueat Arsenal
Feb. 10, 2024Premier Leaguevs. Burnley

Egypt at Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Fixtures, results, schedule

Egypt were drawn in Group B for this year's AFCON and they are tipped to reach the knockout stages alongside rivals Ghana.

Full details on their schedule and match results are listed below.

Date / TimeFixture/Result
January 14 (12 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. GMT)Egypt 2-2 Mozambique
January 18 (3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. GMT)Egypt 2-2 Ghana
January 22 (3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. GMT)Cape Verde vs. Egypt

How to watch Mohamed Salah at AFCON: TV channel, live stream

Fans can watch Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations with full details on how do so in the world's major territories listed below:

Egypt vs. Ghana

RegionTVStreaming
USAbeIN SportsFubo, beIN Sports Connect, Fanatiz
CanadabeIN Sports

Fubo Canada, beIN Sports Connect, Fanatiz

UKSky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main EventSky GO, Now TV
AustraliabeIN Sports Connect
IndiaFanCode

Cape Verde vs. Egypt

RegionTVStreaming
USAFubo, beIN Sports Connect, Fanatiz
Canada

beIN Sports Connect

UKSky Sports Football/Sky Sports MixSky GO, Now TV
AustraliabeIN Sports Connect
IndiaFanCode

Feargal Brennan

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.