When Mohamed Salah plays next at AFCON as Egypt begins knockout stages

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Mohamed Salah and Egypt begin their Africa Cup of Nations knockout campaign on Monday, with a favorable last-16 tie against Benin next up for the Liverpool star

Mohamed Salah's Egypt takes on Benin in the last 16(Image: Getty Images)

Mohamed Salah was an unused substitute for Egypt's final AFCON group game against Angola, with manager Hossam Hassan clearly keen to keep the 33-year-old fresh for the tournament's knockout phase.

Salah was the game winner in each of Egypt's first two group games, against Zimbabwe and South Africa, securing top spot and qualification for the last 16 with a game to spare.

Next up for Liverpool star Salah and his international teammates is a last-16 clash with Benin. Benin qualified for the knockout phase as one of the best third-placed teams in the group, after ending the group phase on just three points.

Here's how you can watch the game between Egypt and Benin in the UK and the US...

What time does Egypt vs. Benin kick off?

The game between Egypt and Benin kicks off at 4 p.m. GMT on January 5, which means it's an 11 a.m. kick-off Eastern Time, and an 8 a.m. kick-off Pacific Time.

What channel is it on?

In the UK, Channel 4 has the streaming rights to AFCON. In the US, the game can be viewed on Fubo, Fanatiz, or beIN Sports.

What's the latest on Salah at Liverpool?

Salah's ill-advised chat with reporters at Elland Road seems a long time ago now, but it was only last month that he accused the Reds of throwing him under the bus this season, while also saying that he no longer had a relationship with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.

A few days after that outburst, Salah was dropped from the Liverpool squad altogether for a Champions League trip to Inter Milan, but found himself back in the squad for the following game against Brighton.

Salah's long-term Liverpool future remains uncertain(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

Slot said that it was an easy decision to restore the 33-year-old to the squad, suggesting that the pair have patched things up, and the legendary forward produced one of his brightest performances of a difficult season after coming on in the first half for the injured Joe Gomez.

However, although the situation has seemingly improved, we will not know just how sustainable it is until Salah returns from Afcon.

The Egyptian is not afraid of voicing his discontent, and if he continues to largely be used as a substitute upon his return to club action, there is a good chance that the storm will return.

Salah is contracted to Liverpool until 2027, but the prospect of a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia could loom large in 2026 if Salah fails to regain his place in the team as a regular starter.