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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.
FULL BREAKDOWN: ALL 52 AFCON FIXTURES, KNOCKOUT PATH, AND KEY GROUP BATTLES
The 2025 AFCON in Morocco promises drama! Get the full schedule, group breakdown, and see how the massive $32 million prize money will be distributed across the 24 teams.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is coming to Morocco for the first time since 1988! The tournament, featuring 24 teams, will bring some excitement during the cooler months in North Africa.
Since 2019, the tournament has expanded. A lot of the top teams from the continent will be there, but Ghana won’t be, since they didn't make it through qualifications.
The Ivory Coast will try to keep its title after winning at home two years ago. You can always count on this tournament to have great stories and drama.
Here's a quick look at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations:
Start: Sunday, December 21, 2025
Final: Sunday, January 18, 2026
Where: Morocco—nine stadiums in six cities
Watch it on beIN Sport, SuperSport, Canal+, and others (TBD). (TBD).
Prizes: The winner gets $7 million. The total prize money is $32 million.
Who won last time?: Ivory Coast (2023)
2025 Africa Cup of Nations Schedule:
The first match is on Sunday, December 21, at the updated Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat. Morocco will play against Comoros.
After that, there are 51 more matches, with 24 teams in group and knockout rounds over the next month.
The final match will be on Sunday, January 18, at the same place in Rabat.
(Times are Moroccan, GMT+1, and could change.)
Group Stage
Sunday, December 21
Group A: Morocco vs. Comoros – 8:00 PM
Monday, December 22
Group A: Mali vs. Zambia – 3:00 PM
Group B: South Africa vs. Angola – 6:00 PM
Group B: Egypt vs. Zimbabwe – 9:00 PM
Tuesday, December 23
Group D: DR Congo vs Benin – 1:30 PM
Group D: Senegal vs. Botswana – 4:00 PM
Group C: Nigeria vs.Tanzania – 6:30 PM
Group C: Tunisia vs. Uganda – 9:00 PM
Wednesday, December 24
Group E: Burkina Faso vs. Equatorial Guinea – 1:30 PM
Group E: Algeria vs. Sudan – 4:00 PM
Group F: Ivory Coast vs. Mozambique – 6:30 PM
Group F: Cameroon vs. Gabon – 9:00 PM
Friday, December 26
Group B: Angola vs. Zimbabwe – 1:30 PM
Group B: Egypt vs. South Africa – 4:00 PM
Group A: Zambia vs. Comoros – 6:30 PM
Group A: Morocco vs. Mali – 9:00 PM
Saturday, December 27
Group D: Benin vs Botswana – 1:30 PM
Group D: Senegal vs. DR Congo – 4:00 PM
Group C: Uganda vs. Tanzania – 6:30 PM
Group C: Nigeria vs. Tunisia – 9:00 PM
Sunday, December 28
Group F: Gabon vs. Mozambique – 1:30 PM
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs. Sudan – 4:00 PM
Group E: Algeria vs. Burkina Faso – 6:30 PM
Group F: Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon – 9:00 PM
Monday, December 29
Group B: Zimbabwe vs. South Africa – 5:00 PM
Group B: Angola vs Egypt – 5:00 PM
Group A: Zambia vs. Morocco – 8:00 PM
Group A: Comoros vs. Mali – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, December 30
Group C: Uganda vs Nigeria – 5:00 PM
Group C: Tanzania vs. Tunisia – 5:00 PM
Group D: Botswana vs. DR Congo – 8:00 PM
Group D: Benin vs. Senegal – 8:00 PM
Wednesday, December 31
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs. Algeria – 5:00 PM
Group E: Sudan vs. Burkina Faso – 5:00 PM
Group F: Gabon vs. Ivory Coast – 8:00 PM
Group F: Mozambique vs. Cameroon – 8:00 PM
Round of 16
Saturday, January 3
Match 37: Winner of Group D vs. Third of Groups B/E/F – 5:00 PM
Match 38: Second Group A vs. Second Group C – 8:00 PM
Sunday, January 4
Match 39: Winner of Group A vs. Third of Third of Groups C/D/E – 5:00 PM
Match 40: Second Group B vs Second Group F – 8:00 PM
Monday, January 5
Match 41: Winner of Group B vs. Third of Groups A/C/D – 5:00 PM
Match 42: Winner of Group C vs Third of Groups A/B/F – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, January 6
Match 43: Winner G Group E vs Winner of vs.Second Grvs.Second ofoup D – 5:00 PM
Match 44: Winner of Second of Group F vs. Winner of Second ofvs. Group E – 8:00 PM
Quarter-Finals
Friday, January 9
Match 45: Winner M38 vs Second of vs.Winner M37 – 5:00 PM
Match 46: Winner M40 vs. vs.vs.Winner M39 – 8:00 PM
Saturday, January 10
Match 47: Winner M43 vs Winner M42 – 5:00 PM
Match 48: Winner M41 vs.Winner M44 – 8:00 PM
Semi-Finals
Wednesday, January 14
Match 49: Winner M45 vs. Winner M48 – 6:00 PM
Match 50: Winner M47 vs. Winner M46 – 9:00 PM
Third-Place Playoff
Saturday, January 17
Match 51: Loser M49 vs. Loser M50 – 5:00 PM
Final
Sunday, January 18
Match 52: Winner M49 vs. Winner M50 – 8:00 PM
Teams and Groups
The 24 teams will fight for the title. They earned their spots through qualifiers that ended in November 2024, way before the finals.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups moved on. The draw for the finals was in January 2025.
The 24 teams are in six groups with four teams in each.
How the Tournament Works
The teams in each group will play each other. The top two teams automatically move to the Round of 16.
The four best third-place teams will join them. Usually, three points is enough to get one of these spots.
If teams are tied on points, here's how it's decided: head-to-head results first, then goal difference in all group matches, then goals scored, and if it's still tied, they draw lots.
The knockout stage starts with the Round of 16 and goes until the final. If a match is tied, they'll play extra time and have a penalty shootout if needed.
There's also a third-place playoff match.
Venues
The games will be played in nine stadiums across six cities in Morocco:
Rabat: Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (69 500)
Rabat: Stade Annexe Olympique Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (21,000)
Rabat: Complexe Sportif Prince Hertitier Moulay El Hassan (22 000)
Rabat: Stade El Barid (18,000)
Casablanca: Stade Mohammed V (67 000)
Marrakech: Grand Stade de Marrakech (45 240)
Fès: Complexe Sportif de Fès (45,000)
Tangier: Grand Stade de Tanger (68 000)
Agadir: Grand Stade d’Agadir (45 480)
Prize Money and Sponsors
The winner of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 gets $7 million, which is a big jump from the $4 million in 2021.
Here’s how the prize money breaks down:
Winner: $7,000,000
Runner-up: $4,000,000
Semi-finalists: $2,500,000
Quarter-finalists: $1,300,000
Round of 16: $800,000
Third in Group: $700,000
Fourth in Group: $500,000
Total prize money: $32,000,000
CAF has sponsors for the event, with TotalEnergies as the main one. Others include VISA, PUMA, Orange, 1xBet, Royal Air Maroc, TECNO, QNET, Rexona, Danone, LONACI, Apsonic, Midea, AGL, Laughing Cow, Sidi Ali, and Suzuki.
History
The Africa Cup of Nations started in 1957, even before the European Championships! It began with just three teams: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. South Africa was supposed to be the fourth, but they were kicked out because of apartheid.,
Over the years, the tournament has grown as more countries have become part of CAF.
By 1968, there were eight teams, and that stayed the same for a while.
In 1992, it grew to 12 teams, and they added a quarter-final stage for the first time. Then, in 1996, it jumped to 16 teams, which lasted for over 20 years.
Most recently, in 2019, the tournament went to 24 teams.
Egypt has won the most times, with seven titles. But their last win was in 2010, which was their third in a row after wins in 2006 and 2008. No other team has won three in a row.
Cameroon is next with five wins, followed by Ghana with four (but they haven't won since 1982 and didn't qualify this year). Nigeria and the Ivory Coast each have three wins.
There have been 15 different winners in total. Morocco, which is hosting this year, last won in 1976.
The Trophy
The current Africa Cup of Nations trophy has been used since 2002. It's the third trophy for the championship.
The first one, made of silver, was named after the first CAF president. Ghana got to keep it after winning for the third time in 1978.
Then came the African Unity Cup, which was used from 1980 to 2000. Cameroon won it three times.
The current trophy, gold-plated, was made in Italy and introduced in 2002. Even though Egypt won it three times between 2006 and 2010, they didn't get to keep it.
The Match Ball
The official match ball is made with PUMA’s Orbita 6 technology and is called ITRI. Its design is inspired by Morocco’s zellij art, known for its complicated geometric patterns.
HUGO BROOS SLAMS FIFA: LATE PLAYER RELEASE IS "DISRESPECT TO AFRICAN SOCCER"
South Africa coach Hugo Broos fiercely criticises FIFA's decision to delay player release for AFCON, calling it a blatant disrespect, though it favors his Bafana Bafana squad.
South Africa's coach, Hugo Broos, isn't happy with FIFA's call to let clubs keep national team players until just six days before the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. He sees it as disrespect to African soccer.
But he thinks this might actually help his team, Bafana Bafana. While some of their biggest competitors scramble with a shorter prep time, his mostly local team can spend more time practising together.
They started camp this past Monday with only a dozen players. Later, some Orlando Pirates players joined after getting extra time off after the Carling Cup final.
FIFA, feeling pressure from European clubs, decided teams only need to release players on the Monday before the tournament. This hits teams like Morocco, Senegal, and Cameroon the hardest.
The tournament's timing is tough since it's in the middle of the European season. But it seems crazy that FIFA would make the same decision for a tournament like the European Championships.
Broos told reporters, If players playing overseas can't join their national teams until the 15th, what about teams like Morocco, Senegal, and Nigeria, who only have players based overseas? I don’t know what FIFA thinks about this competition.
Morocco gets their players on the 15th, and six days later, they play their first game. It just shows what FIFA thinks about Africa. I'm sure European clubs pushed them to move the dates.
South Africa will feel the impact, but not as much as other teams.
Striker Lyle Foster has a game for Burnley against Fulham this Saturday, and then he'll join the team. But he's a regular player and knows his role.
The same goes for midfielder Sphephelo Sithole, who plays in Portugal. He also has a game on Saturday. His role on the team is clear, and Broos isn't planning any big changes.
Centre-back Siyabonga Ngezana might be injured, but he might play in a Europa League game tonight. After that, he can join the team since his club doesn't play again until Monday.
Tylon Smith, a young player from Queens Park Rangers, is already in camp. But he's been playing for the club's development team and hasn't been close to the first team this season.
Broos is annoyed by the situation with winger Shandre Campbell. He hasn't played much for Club Brugge this season, but was told to stay in Belgium until the last minute.
Broos said, The day he got called up, we got a letter from Brugge saying he won't be released until the 15th.
I think that's a bit unfair. You could do that with a player who's always in the first team. But Shandre is usually on the bench, or not even on the bench, or only plays for a few minutes.
So why keep him at the club when he could be preparing for AFCON with the national team?
It's worth noting that Broos is a legend at Brugge, winning many titles with them as a player and coach. But that didn't matter in this case.
Bafana's players based in Saudi Arabia, Mohau Nkota and Elias Mokwana, can join the team since their season has a break.
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