Egypt FA outlines Mohamed Salah talks with Hany Abou Rida ahead of November qualifiers

The Egyptian Football Association has revealed details of a meeting between president Hany Abou Rida and Egypt captain Mohamed Salah in Turkey, following questions over the forward’s relationship with the national team’s technical staff.

Abou Rida’s visit was arranged to meet Salah and other leading Egyptian players, with the association saying it reflected its commitment to maintaining regular contact with the country’s internationals.

In a statement, the Egyptian Football Association said: “During his visit to Turkey, which was aimed at meeting Mohamed Salah, captain of the national team, and other prominent Egyptian footballers, Hany Abou Rida was keen to hold a meeting with him as part of the association’s efforts to maintain continuous communication with the national team’s players.”

The discussions focused on removing any obstacles that could affect Egypt’s progress and helping the team maintain its success, the statement added.

It said the meeting also underlined “the importance of communication and understanding between all elements of the system, working in the spirit of one team, and creating the best possible conditions for the national team, its technical staff and players ahead of upcoming international commitments”.

The association said Abou Rida had expressed his strong appreciation for Salah’s contribution as one of the most important figures in Egyptian football and as captain of the national side. He also reaffirmed the federation’s intention to provide the team with all necessary support in pursuit of the aspirations of Egypt’s supporters.

Salah, who plays for Turkish club Trabzonspor, left Egypt’s September 2026 training camp after the Pharaohs’ match against Angola in the qualifying competition for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

His departure prompted questions about his relationship with head coach Hossam Hassan. Salah had been substituted in the 60th minute of the match, which ended in a goalless draw.

Hassan said after the game that the change had been made for purely technical reasons and confirmed that Salah was not carrying an injury.

Egypt will return to action against Malawi in the third and fourth rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The team’s training camp is scheduled to begin on 9 November at the National Teams Centre.

The first match against Malawi will take place on 13 November at Cairo International Stadium, before the sides meet again on 17 November at the Bingu International Stadium in Malawi.

Egypt are in Group B alongside Angola, South Sudan and Malawi. The Pharaohs lead the standings with 4 points, ahead of Angola on goal difference. Malawi are third with 3 points, while South Sudan are bottom without a point.

Egypt began their qualifying campaign with a goalless home draw against Angola before recording a 5-0 away victory over South Sudan.