Mohamed Salah and Egypt have been penalized by AFCON for violating tournament regulations.

Egypt have been fined and issued a stern warning by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after their victory over Zimbabwe at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The seven-time champions began their Group B campaign with a comeback win, as Mohamed Salah struck a stoppage-time goal to secure all three points for Hossam Hassan’s side.

Although Egypt controlled nearly 80 percent of possession in the first half, they went into the break trailing 1–0 after Zimbabwe’s Prince Dube scored against the run of play. Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush brought Egypt level in the 64th minute, before Salah calmly netted a late winner, beating goalkeeper Washington Arubi.

After the match, Hassan admitted his team made things difficult for themselves. “We were unfortunate and missed too many chances,” he said. “I warned the players about this situation, and it’s a lesson we must learn.”

That lesson extends beyond the pitch. Egypt were fined $5,000 by CAF for failing to complete required media obligations following the match. According to Africa Top Sports, both players and staff skipped the mixed-zone interviews after the final whistle.

Journalist Micky Jnr reported that the entire Egyptian delegation ignored journalists, a clear breach of CAF’s media regulations. CAF has since issued a strong warning, stating that harsher penalties will follow if the offense is repeated after Egypt’s next group match against South Africa on Friday.

CAF emphasized that post-match media interactions are a key part of tournament rules, helping promote African football, improve transparency, and engage fans.

Looking ahead to their clash with South Africa, Hassan stressed the importance of focus. “There are no easy games in this competition,” he said. “We are aiming to win the title. Egypt is a major football nation in Africa and deserves to fight for the trophy.”