Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about Egypt

Get the lowdown on every team at the 2026 World Cup. Here we take a closer look at Egypt.

What can I expect from Egypt?

The seven-time African champions are back for a fourth World Cup. With an all-time great on the pitch and another in the dugout, there is hope that Egypt can end their wait for a first win at the tournament.

Head coach Hossam Hassan, Egypt's all-time top scorer, guided the team through an impressive qualifying campaign. They are robust and tough to break down and in Mohamed Salah they still have a sprinkling of stardust up top.

There is a sense that this generation of Egyptian players has underperformed, especially with Salah – arguably the country's greatest ever player – to call on.

Still, history is there for them to seize this summer and if they break their World Cup duck, there is no reason why a knockout adventure can't follow.

What are Egypt's strengths?

They are defensively robust. Egypt were unbeaten in 10 matches during qualifying and only conceded two goals.

Tactically, Hassan is flexible too, with the team capable of playing in a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-1-2 system.

And what about their weaknesses?

There is a lot of onus on Salah and Omar Marmoush to conjure up moments in attack, but both have had their struggles lately.

Salah, who will be 34 come the start of the World Cup, has dropped his levels this season, while Marmoush may lack conditioning after a season on the fringes at Manchester City.

How might Egypt line up?

Which players should I look out for?

After Mohamed Salah had the season of his life in 2024-25 – 29 goals and 18 assists in Liverpool's title win – the forward struggled for much of this season.

He's now left the Reds and will be desperate to show he is still an elite operator before his next chapter.

Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy impressed at the 2018 World Cup but had a turbulent end to the season after he was given a four-game ban for striking a referee. The goalkeeper will need to keep a cooler head this summer.

The arrivals of Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki meant limited opportunities for Omar Marmoush at Manchester City. Will a season as a squad player mean he's fresh or lacks conditioning come the World Cup?

Who is Egypt's head coach?

As a player, Hossam Hassan set Egypt's all-time scoring record with 69 goals – and only Ahmed Hassan has made more appearances than his 176. He won the Africa Cup of Nations three times and played at the 1990 World Cup too.

How did Egypt qualify?

They won eight and drew two of their 10 games in the African qualifiers. Egypt were imperious at the back, conceding just two goals.

Where can I watch Egypt?

All of Egypt's matches will also be covered live on the BBC Sport website and app with updates, analysis, and fan reaction. Come and be part of it!

Give me a fact to impress my friends

Don't do a double take if you're keeping an eye on the Egypt dugout - head coach Hossam Hassan has a twin brother named Ibrahim, who is the national team director.

The twins were both legendary players for the national team and were renowned for their short tempers, both on and off the field.

Now give me some proper detail

By whatever metric you choose, Egypt have underperformed since their African title in 2010.

While they have been continental champions seven times, the eighth is proving elusive. Since 2017, Egypt have lost two finals.

Their recent association with the World Cup has also been torturous. In 2018, they were disappointing, after Salah – arguably the best player in the world at the time – suffered a shoulder injury in the preceding Champions League final. In 2022, they failed to qualify after a penalty shootout loss to Senegal in a repeat of that year's Africa Cup of Nations final.

Hassan was appointed to stoke some passion in the team after those heartbreaks and there were promising signs in qualifying. At the recent Africa Cup of Nations though, the stodgy style and another loss to Senegal prompted heavy criticism and there was speculation Hassan could leave.

The head coach remains though and hope has started to build as the World Cup gets nearer. Without an injured Salah, Egypt earned a 0-0 draw against Spain in the March friendlies; they were the first team to stop the European champions finding the net in 17 games.

Hassan suggested the performance will be the blueprint he uses for the World Cup this summer.

How have Egypt done at previous World Cups?

Egypt were the first African team to play at a World Cup, and Abdel Rahman Fawzi's two goals against Hungary in 1934 meant he became the first African scorer at the tournament.

This is their fourth World Cup – they failed to win any of their seven games across the previous three.