Mohamed Salah gets lucky AFCON break as Liverpool star's dream not over yet

Mohamed Salah has seen his dream of winning the Africa Cup of Nations ended for another year, although the Liverpool star will soon get another opportunity to claim his first continental title

Mohamed Salah will have to wait another year to try and claim an AFCON title(Image: Getty Images)

Mohamed Salah’s dream of finally lifting the Africa Cup of Nations title this year is over - although the Liverpool talisman won’t have to wait too long for his next opportunity.

Salah will soon be returning to Merseyside following Egypt’s defeat to Senegal in Wednesday’s semi-final. His former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane struck the decisive goal to send his nation through to the final, where they’ll meet hosts Morocco on Sunday.

For Salah, there is a somewhat pointless third-place playoff to deal with on Saturday before he can make his way back to Anfield, where there will, of course, be a big decision to be made on his future following his explosive outburst last month.

AFCON did provide something of a welcome distraction amid his frustrations at finding himself out of the starting line-up back at Liverpool, although it wasn’t the end that he would have been hoping for.

Salah is yet to have a continental title to his name, despite Egypt having won AFCON a record seven times, and having turned 33 during the summer, there will be concerns that time might be running out for him to finally claim the trophy.

The good news for Salah is that he only has to wait around another 18 months for another opportunity, with the next tournament getting underway in June 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Salah will get another chance at AFCON next year after Sadio Mane's Senegal knocked Egypt out(Image: Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

And should Egypt fail again next year, then Salah will get another chance soon after, with the following edition coming just a year later in 2028 due to a change in scheduling.

The tournament is set to be held every four years in the future, as opposed to the current two-year cycle, with 2028 chosen as the starting point, which would see it align with the European Championships.

CAF president Patrice Mostepe also announced the creation of an African Nations League, which will take place annually from 2029.

"We have the most exciting new structure for African football," Motsepe said.

"I do what is in the interests of Africa. The global calendar has to be significantly more synchronised and harmonized."

Details of the 2028 AFCON are yet to be finalized, although the good news for Salah is that he could get home advantage, with Egypt one of the confirmed bids to host the tournament.

With the next edition after that being held in 2032, by which time Salah could be 40, the 2027 and 2028 tournaments could prove to be his final AFCON outings, with the winger hoping he can finally claim the prize he so desperately wants.