Lincoln Clay is the most destructive force in any of the Mafia games. Having him appear in Mafia: The Old Country would be an interesting nod to the top powerhouse in the series.
Still, thanks to timelines and knowing where the newest game takes place, we know whether or not to expect Lincoln Clay. This may come as a surprise to many, but we can do the math and know if any former characters will end up in the new game.
Will Lincoln Clay Cameo in Mafia The Old Country?

No, Lincoln Clay is not a character in Mafia: The Old Country. The game is designed as a prequel to the entire Mafia series, set in Sicily during the 1900s, and it focuses on the early days of the Cosa Nostra. Lincoln Clay, who is the main character of Mafia III, lives in the open world of New Bordeaux, Louisiana, in 1968. Due to this huge gap in time and location, it would be impossible for him to appear in The Old Country.
Additionally, we know that Mafia: The Old Country stresses its storytelling approach and how it connects to the original Mafia and Mafia II in terms of gameplay style. Those games followed Tommy Angelo and Vito Scaletta, whose stories were limited to their own time periods. Players may have better luck with Vito Scaletta from Mafia 3 then.
Mafia: The Old Country works like the first two games in the series, with a strong emphasis on a well-crafted story about Enzo Favara’s climb through the ranks of the Torrisi crime family. It would be strange to add any elements that would eventually lead to Lincoln Clay.
Why isn’t Lincoln in Mafia: The Old Country?

Lincoln Clay, the main character of Mafia III, does not appear in Mafia: The Old Country because the game’s timeline and story focus make his inclusion impossible. Mafia: The Old Country is a prequel to the entire Mafia series, set in Sicily during the early 1900s.
This time period is long before Lincoln Clay was born, as his birthdate is January 1945. Since Mafia: The Old Country delves into the beginnings of the Mafia in Sicily, its story focuses on the early days of organized crime and the key figures who shaped it during that time. Given the setting and historical context, it would be geographically and chronologically impossible for Lincoln to be part of the story.
Mafia: The Old Country follows a new protagonist named Enzo Favara, whose life and struggles are tied to the Sicilian Mafia’s rise. The game aims to immerse players in the culture and conflicts of early 20th-century Sicily, providing a fresh look at how the Mafia began. Adding a character like Lincoln Clay, who belongs to a much later era, would break the historical accuracy and disrupt the narrative flow that the developers are trying to create.
Are Any Mafia 3 characters in Mafia: The Old Country?

Mafia: The Old Country is a prequel to the entire Mafia series, set in Sicily during the 1900s, but it is unlikely that any of the main characters from Mafia III will appear in it. Mafia III follows Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam War veteran who seeks revenge against the Marcano Crime Family in 1968 New Bordeaux. Due to this, it is very unlikely that Lincoln Clay or any of his allies, such as John Donovan, Cassandra, or Vito Scaletta, will show up in the prequel.
The Mafia series often connects its stories, with characters from earlier games sometimes appearing in later ones. For instance, Vito Scaletta, the main character of Mafia II, plays a supporting role in Mafia III. However, the time difference between Mafia: The Old Country and Mafia III is too large for any direct character crossovers to make sense. Mafia: The Old Country is meant to be an origin story, per the Mafia: The Old Country Community Q&A. The game shows how the Mafia began in Sicily long before the events of Mafia III, which takes place in the United States.
Since Mafia: The Old Country focuses on a new protagonist, Enzo Favara, and explores the roots of the Cosa Nostra, it will likely introduce a completely new set of characters tied to its Sicilian setting and time period. The story will center on Enzo’s rise within the Torrisi crime family, his personal struggles, and his connections with other figures in the Sicilian underworld.