After missing the last edition of the FIFA World Cup™, Egypt have fought back to qualify for their fourth appearance at the tournament. The Pharaohs booked their place after a commanding qualifying campaign, emerging from their group unbeaten, having outclassed tough opponents thanks to a rock-solid defence and the contributions of their seasoned internationals.
This tournament is a golden opportunity for Egypt to affirm their standing as one of Africa’s and the Arab world’s finest, with their legions of fans dreaming of a memorable run. Global superstar Mohamed Salah is leading the charge with a squad that combines experience with youthful ambition, featuring the likes of Omar Marmoush, Trezeguet and Mostafa Mohamed.
Egypt coach: Hossam Hassan
After an illustrious playing career, Hossam Hassan has proven to be not only one of the greatest goalscorers in Egyptian football history, but also a standout homegrown coach.
Post-retirement, Hassan moved into the dugout in 2008, starting out with Al Masry and later taking charge at several big clubs, including Zamalek, Ismaily and a return to Al Masry. He enjoyed considerable success, leading sides that contended for titles and qualified for continental tournaments, and instilled a fierce, combative spirit in his teams.
Hassan took the reins of the national team in February 2024, succeeding Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria, and has worked to reinforce the Pharaohs’ reputation as fighters. His efforts have been rewarded with a ticket to World Cup 26 after Egypt finished the qualifiers undefeated – their first such run in 91 years – and now he is eyeing an even greater achievement on the global stage.
Egypt’s World Cup 26 fixtures and group
Egypt will learn their group-stage opponents at the tournament, which gets underway on 11 June 2026, when the Final Draw for FIFA World Cup 26™ takes place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC at 12:00 local time (18:00 CET) on Friday, 5 December.
Full World Cup 26 match schedule
How Egypt qualified for World Cup 26
Egypt booked their spot at World Cup 26 by finishing top of Group A in CAF qualifying, ahead of Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Egypt racked up eight wins and two draws for 26 points out of a possible 30, putting them comfortably ahead of the closest competition and securing qualification before the final matchday.
The Pharaohs’ campaign, which began under Rui Vitoria (with wins over Djibouti 6-0 and Sierra Leone 2-0) before Hossam Hassan took over, was marked by attacking potency and defensive resilience. The team scored 20 goals, including nine from Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, while conceding only two, underlining their credentials for a triumphant return to the global showcase.
Egypt’s World Cup history
Egypt’s first World Cup
If not for some bad luck with weather, Egypt would have been part of the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. FIFA President Jules Rimet invited Egypt and a group of European teams to travel to South America on a shared ship from France, but fate intervened when a storm at sea caused Egypt to miss the departure for the transatlantic voyage.
Four years later, though, they qualified for Italy 1934, making history as the first African and first Arab team to play in a World Cup. With the tournament using a straight knockout format, Egypt exited after a 4-2 loss against Hungary despite a standout performance by Abdelrahman Fawzi, who netted both of the team’s goals. Nevertheless, Egypt had achieved a milestone by introducing African football to a global audience.
Egypt’s last World Cup
Under Argentine coach Hector Cuper, Egypt featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, returning to the tournament after a 28-year absence and carrying enormous expectations inspired by Mohamed Salah’s brilliance. The Pharaohs lost their opener 1-0 to Uruguay with Salah sidelined by injury, but the Liverpool star returned for the second match and scored a consolation goal in a 3-1 defeat to the hosts – Egypt’s first World Cup goal in 28 years.
Egypt bowed out after yet another loss in their final group-stage match, falling 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, but not before Salah created another rapturous moment for millions of Egyptians by breaking free of the defence to score a brilliant solo goal. Despite results that fell far short of what had been hoped, the return to the World Cup was significant for the taste it offered of Egypt’s potential.
Egypt’s World Cup top scorer
Two men share the honour of being Egypt’s all-time leading scorer in the World Cup, each with two goals: Abdelrahman Fawzi and Mohamed Salah.
Abdelrahman Fawzi bagged his brace in a match against Hungary during Egypt’s debut outing at Italy 1934, becoming the first Arab and first African player ever to score at a World Cup – although the Pharaohs were knocked out of the tournament after a 4-2 defeat in their only match.
Salah notched his two goals at Russia 2018, netting against both Russia and Saudi Arabia to earn a place alongside Fawzi in Egyptian football lore. With Egypt now headed to the 2026 edition in North America, the Liverpool star will have the chance to add on and claim the record outright.
Egypt players with most World Cup appearances
The record for most World Cup appearances by an Egyptian player is shared by players across two generations, with several stars tied at three matches apiece. That is because Egypt have never played more than three fixtures in any tournament – and only one at Italy 1934 due to the knockout format. The list of most-capped players consists of key figures from Italy 1990 and Russia 2018, including Mohamed Salah and others likely to feature in next year’s tournament.
Egypt’s memorable World Cup moments
Although Egypt’s World Cup appearances have been few and far between, they left memories that have endured. Their debut at Italy 1934 remains a historical milestone – as the first African and first Arab team at a World Cup, the Pharaohs paved the way for generations to come.
Decades later, a header from Hossam Hassan sealed a 1-0 victory over Algeria after a goalless draw in the first leg and fulfilled the dream of millions by returning Egypt to the World Cup after 56 years away. That squad went on to etch another iconic moment by holding the Netherlands, then the European champions, to a 1-1 draw thanks to a penalty converted by Magdi Abdelghani. That draw earned Egypt their first-ever World Cup point, and the goal gained legendary status, forever lodged in the memory of fans as a symbol of fight and resilience against the world’s best.
