Salah Named In Egypt Squad To Face Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana
Football icon Mohamed Salah has been included in the Egypt squad set to face South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a marquee friendly match in Cairo next month.
Salah—who departed Liverpool last season after a glittering career to join Turkish outfit Trabzonspor—was called up by head coach Hossam Hassan for Egypt’s upcoming international fixtures.
The Pharaohs, ranked 24th in the world, will first host Angola in Group B of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on 25 September, before traveling to face South Sudan four days later.
Alongside Salah, Egypt’s roster features forward Omar Marmoush, who joined Tottenham Hotspur on loan from Manchester City during the latest transfer window.
The headline squad also includes key figures such as dynamic midfielder Emam Ashour, defender Rami Rabia, right-back Mohamed Hany, and goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
Before locking horns with Egypt at Cairo International Stadium on 4 October, Bafana Bafana will open their 2027 AFCON Group D qualifying campaign by hosting Guinea at Orlando Stadium on 26 September, followed by a clash against Eritrea in Egypt four days later.
With the current international window structured to encompass the October fixtures, both managers must decide how strongly to rotate their line-ups for the friendly. However, newly reappointed Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane—who named his final squad on Thursday—will be eager to wrap up the window on a winning note.
The encounter marks a high-profile return to Cairo for Mosimane, who enjoyed a trophy-laden stint with Egyptian titans Al Ahly, capturing back-to-back CAF Champions League titles in 2020 and 2021.
The last meeting between the two nations came at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where Salah scored the decisive penalty. In that match, Egypt held off a relentless Bafana Bafana onslaught after defender Mohamed Hany was sent off in the first half for a reckless challenge on Teboho Mokoena.
Both countries entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with South Africa and Egypt bowing out in the Round of 32 and Round of 16 respectively—marking a historic knockout campaign for both African powerhouses.
