Sports

Egypt coach explains Salah's rest, addresses Al Shenawy row

Egypt national team coach Hossam Hassan said Mohamed Salah was rested, not benched over a dispute, for the South Sudan World Cup qualifier due to the artificial turf pitch. His comments come amid controversy sparked by earlier remarks about goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, whose club Al Ahly has since extended his contract through 2028.

سكاي نيوز عربيةMonday, September 28, 2026, 18:58Covered by 4 sources

Illustrative photo: Football pitch with artificial turf and stadium stands in the background. Photo by Frank Eiffert on Unsplash

Why it matters

The episode highlights tensions between Egypt's football federation and its star players ahead of continental qualifiers, a storyline closely followed across the Arab world.

Background

The controversy unfolds amid Egypt's qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations under coach Hossam Hassan, with Mohamed Salah serving as the national team's captain and star player. Mohamed El-Shenawy is goalkeeper and captain of Al Ahly, one of Egypt's leading clubs.

Key points

According to CNN Arabic, the match against South Sudan was scheduled on the host's turf on Tuesday as part of the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Hossam Hassan described goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy as "a brother and a son to me," per CNN Arabic.
Al Ahly announced El-Shenawy's contract extension through 2028 on Monday, according to RT Arabic.
Al Jazeera characterized Hassan's earlier remarks as an "attack," while RT Arabic described the situation as a "crisis" between the coach and the club.

How outlets covered it

Sky News Arabia focused on Hossam Hassan's justification for resting Salah due to the artificial turf and player safety, while Al Jazeera and RT Arabic highlighted Al Ahly's contract extension for El-Shenawy as a response to Hassan's controversial remarks, with RT Arabic framing it as a "crisis" between the club and the coach. CNN Arabic combined both threads, reporting Hassan's clarification on Salah alongside his conciliatory comments describing El-Shenawy as family.