AFCON FOCUS: EGYPT RALLY AROUND MO SALAH AMIDST TENSE LIVERPOOL FUTURE
Mohamed Salah's Egypt teammates are showing fierce support for their captain as he heads to AFCON, amid an uncertain Liverpool future and massive interest from Saudi PIF.
Mohamed Salah's relationship with Liverpool seems tense, but he'll still get a warm welcome from his Egypt teammates as they get ready for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which starts on December 21.
Even though Salah's future with Liverpool is uncertain, his Egypt teammates are supporting their captain as they head to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Egypt, which has won the tournament a record seven times, are in Group B with Angola, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. They'll stay in Agadir, a city on the southern coast, for the first stage.
Striker Ahmed Kouka Hassan posted on social media that players like Salah shouldn't be on the bench. He was talking about Salah being a substitute in Liverpool's last three games, only playing in one.
He added that if Salah does start on the bench, he should be the first player to come on, no later than the 65th minute.
Kouka said that Salah is more than just a teammate; he's a leader and a legend for both club and country, encouraging him to keep working hard because tough times don't last, but his greatness will.
Head coach Hossam Hassan shared a photo of himself with Salah, calling him a symbol of perseverance and strength.
Winger Ahmed Zizo El Sayed called Salah the greatest Liverpool legend ever, and goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhy said he's always the best.
Liverpool hasn't been doing great in their title defence this season. They're currently 10th, 10 points behind Arsenal. Salah has only scored four goals in 13 league games.
After their 3-3 draw with Leeds United, where they gave up the lead twice, Salah told reporters that he felt like the club had thrown him under the bus.
He said it was clear that someone wanted him to take the blame for their poor performance and that someone didn't want him at the club.
Salah wasn't in the squad for the Champions League game against Inter, and he's hinted that he might not play for Liverpool again.
A source from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) told AFP that they're ready to do whatever it takes to sign Salah during the mid-season transfer window.
Egypt hasn't won AFCON in 15 years, but Salah, who is 33, believes they'll win it again before he retires.
He said that he believes it will happen and that it's a great feeling every time he represents Egypt.
Salah has experienced a lot of disappointment in his four AFCON appearances, with Egypt finishing as runners-up twice and being knocked out in the round of 16 twice.
He assisted the goal that put Egypt ahead in the 2017 final, but Cameroon came back to win 2-1.
Egypt, as hosts and favourites, was shocked by South Africa in the first knockout round in 2019, losing 1-0 to a late goal.
They reached the final again in 2022 but lost to Senegal on penalties after a goalless draw.
Last year in the Ivory Coast, Salah injured his hamstring against Ghana and didn't play again in the tournament. Egypt then lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the round of 16.
This year, Egypt has a lot of attacking talent, including Salah, Omar Marmoush from Manchester City, Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes, and Mahmoud Trezeguet Hassan and Zizo from Al Ahly.
Group B is the only group in Morocco with two teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup: Egypt and South Africa.
South Africa did better than expected by finishing third at the 2024 AFCON, but their coach, Hugo Broos, thinks it will be tougher this time, as every team will be trying harder to beat them.
Angola and Zimbabwe have both recently hired new coaches: Patrice Beaumelle from France and Mario Marinica from Romania.
Angola has reached the quarterfinals three times, including last year, while Zimbabwe has never made it past the first round.
THE HIDDEN MATH BEHIND FIFA’S $33,000 WORLD CUP FINAL TICKET PRICE SURGE
Gianni Infantino defends $32,970 ticket prices at the Milken Institute, citing the US market as the world's most developed.
FIFA just tripled the price of its top tickets for the World Cup final, now charging $32,970 for the best seats at the July 19 match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. On Thursday, those front-row “category 1” seats popped up for sale, right as members of Congress started pushing FIFA for answers about high prices and demanding more transparency on how tickets are being priced.
Before, the highest category 1 ticket for the final topped out at $10,990. Now, the only way to snag that price is if you need a wheelchair or special-access seat; otherwise, you’re looking at the new, much steeper cost.
Prices don’t stop there. For the July 14 semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Texas, seats are $11,130, $4,330, $3,710, and $2,705. The next day’s semifinal in Atlanta? $10,635, $3,545, and $2,725. U.S. group stage matches aren’t cheap either; opening night in California runs $2,735, $1,940, or $1,120 a seat. The June 19 clash against Australia in Seattle sits at $2,715. And for the finale against Türkiye back in LA, tickets range from $2,970 down to $840.
Representatives Nellie Pou and Frank Pallone Jr, both Democrats from New Jersey, fired off a letter to FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino, calling FIFA’s use of “dynamic pricing” too secretive and criticising practices that make it tough for regular fans to get seats. Their letter didn’t mince words: “We’re deeply concerned about FIFA’s opaque pricing and shifting rules. Fans are getting frustrated and feel misled. We want to know how FIFA ensures everyone can actually afford to attend and what’s being done to address these concerns.”
Gianni Infantino hasn’t backed down. On Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, he defended his price tags. “We have to look at the market,” Infantino said. “This is the most developed entertainment market anywhere, so we charge market rates. Tickets here can legally be resold, so if you price them low, people just flip them for more. In fact, even with what some call high prices, tickets end up reselling for twice as much or more.”
He also pointed out, “You can’t go to a college game in the U.S., never mind a pro one, without spending at least $300 for a decent ticket.”
Sure, tickets for huge events like the Super Bowl or the College Football Championship can hit these levels, but scores of seats at U.S. college and pro sporting events, even the NBA playoffs, still go for under $300.
When it comes to resale, FIFA doesn’t set those prices. On its official ticket exchange, final match seats were listed Thursday from $8,970 all the way up to a wild $11,499,998.85, the latter for a spot four rows from the top in the upper deck. FIFA takes 15% of each sale from both buyer and seller. Last month, somebody listed a final ticket for $2,299,998.85.
Infantino joked about those prices: “If people list final tickets for $2 million, number one, that’s not the actual price. Number two, who’s paying that? If someone does, I’ll personally deliver them a hot dog and a Coke.”
Ticket prices aren’t the only pain point for fans. Getting to the game, especially at MetLife Stadium, has its own sticker shock. NJ Transit originally set a $150 round-trip fare from anywhere to the stadium, way up from the normal $13-ish round trip from Manhattan’s Penn Station. After plenty of backlash, they cut it down to $105, but that’s still steep.
Governor Mikie Sherrill, via her spokesperson Steve Sigmund, said she’s pushing for more corporate contributions to lower fares for fans. “The governor is grateful for the companies helping reduce costs and will keep working to make the World Cup a win for both fans and New Jersey.”
FIFA, for its part, warned that these high transit prices could dampen turnout in New Jersey, while other host cities, LA, Dallas, and Houston, aren’t hiking fares for the games.
MetLife Stadium, usually home to the Giants and Jets, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final. Group stage games for powerhouse teams like Brazil, France, Germany, and England all kick off starting June 13.
FIFA EXTENDS PRESTIANNI BAN WORLDWIDE; WINGER SET TO MISS WORLD CUP OPENERS
Gianluca Prestianni will miss games against Algeria and Austria if selected by Scaloni. Get the full disciplinary breakdown.
FIFA has extended Gianluca Prestianni’s suspension for homophobic conduct to apply globally, which could sideline him for Argentina’s first two matches at the 2026 World Cup. The winger from Benfica, initially punished after a well-publicised incident with Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, will now have his ban affect not just club matches but international competitive games as well.
The disciplinary move by FIFA follows a request from UEFA, and the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed the six-match ban will take effect worldwide. According to a FIFA spokesperson, the committee agreed to broaden the suspension’s scope, impacting all levels of competitive play.
This decision carries serious implications for both Benfica and Argentina. What was once a suspension limited to UEFA competitions now bars the 20-year-old from participating in any FIFA competitive events, including the upcoming World Cup in North America.
If Prestianni makes Lionel Scaloni’s final Argentina roster for 2026, he will be forced to sit out the opening group stage games against Algeria and Austria. Despite this setback, he remains eligible for friendlies; he was actually called up earlier this year for matches against Mauritania and Zambia following his November 2025 senior debut.
While the ban totals six matches, half of those come with a two-year probationary clause. After missing a Champions League match against Real Madrid under a provisional suspension, Prestianni still has two active games left to serve. Notably, domestic games with Benfica this season are unaffected, since the worldwide ban targets only competitive international fixtures.
The incident that triggered this whole saga happened on February 17 during a Champions League knockout match at Estadio da Luz. Vinicius Junior accused Prestianni of racial abuse, prompting referee Francois Letexier to pause the game for eight minutes and activate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol.
Prestianni has denied these accusations and issued a statement saying he never directed racist insults at Vinicius Junior, suggesting the player misunderstood what was said. He also condemned the threats he received from Real Madrid players in the aftermath.
Despite his denials, UEFA’s investigation concluded that Prestianni engaged in discriminatory, specifically homophobic, conduct, leading to his suspension.
Questions remain about the length of the ban, as UEFA’s rules generally mandate a minimum 10-match suspension for offences against human dignity based on factors like race or sexual orientation. UEFA has not explained why the disciplinary body settled on a shorter six-match penalty.
Looking ahead, Prestianni faces a challenging path to regain standing under scrutiny. Should he violate conduct rules again within the probationary period, the remaining three matches of his ban could be enforced immediately, potentially harming his prospects with both Benfica and the Argentina national team.
