Egypt are back at the World Cup for the first time since 2018, and they arrive with Mohamed Salah as captain, a settled side under head coach Hossam Hassan, and a Group G draw against Belgium, New Zealand and Iran. The Pharaohs have never won a match at a World Cup finals. In an expanded 48-team tournament, this is the best route they have ever had to change that, and to reach a first ever knockout round.
Egypt secured their place at the 2026 World Cup the hard way and then made it look easy, topping their African qualifying group with games to spare.
The Pharaohs won CAF Group A, finishing the campaign on 26 points from 10 matches and confirming qualification on 8 October 2025. It was a near-flawless run built on defensive discipline and the goals of Mohamed Salah, and it ended an eight-year wait: Egypt had missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, beaten in a penalty shootout by Senegal in the African playoff.
This is Egypt's fourth World Cup. They were the very first African nation to appear at a World Cup, back in 1934, and returned in 1990 and 2018. The campaign also carries a neat piece of history for the dugout: head coach Hossam Hassan played for Egypt at the 1990 World Cup and is now the first person to take the Pharaohs to a World Cup as both a player and a coach.
Egypt are not a one-man team, but the spine of this side is clear. These are the players the tournament will turn on for the Pharaohs.
The captain, the talisman, and one of the finest players in Egypt's history. The Liverpool forward carries the team's hopes at what is widely expected to be his last World Cup as a player. Everything Egypt do in attack starts with getting Salah into space.
A breakthrough season at Manchester City has turned Marmoush into Salah's natural partner up front. Quick, direct and a genuine goal threat in his own right, he gives Egypt a second elite forward for the first time in years.
The experienced wide forward adds balance and tournament know-how on the opposite flank to Salah. A familiar face from the 2018 squad, Trezeguet stretches defences and lets Salah drift inside.
At 18, the youngest name in the squad and a maiden senior call-up. Hossam Hassan's decision to take Abdelkarim is a bet on raw potential and a sign of where Egyptian football is heading after Salah.
Head coach Hossam Hassan named a 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, drawn heavily from the domestic giants Al Ahly and Zamalek alongside Europe-based stars Salah and Marmoush. The captain's armband belongs to Mohamed Salah.
Note: squad lists for the 2026 finals were finalised from a slightly larger preliminary roster. Player positions can shift between the published squad list and the matchday teamsheet, especially for versatile players such as Mahmoud Trezeguet and Ibrahim Adel.
Egypt were drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand and Iran. All three of their group games are on the western side of the tournament, in Seattle and Vancouver. See the full draw on the 2026 World Cup groups page and every kickoff time on the match schedule.
The maths of the new 48-team format matters here. The top two from each of the 12 groups advance, plus the eight best third-placed teams, so 32 of 48 nations reach the knockout phase. That means Egypt do not necessarily have to beat Belgium: a win over New Zealand and a strong result against Iran could be enough to progress, even as a third-placed side.
It is worth stating plainly, because it frames everything: Egypt have never won a single match at a World Cup, and have never reached the knockout stage. Three appearances, zero wins.
In 1934 they were knocked out in the first round by Hungary. In 1990 they drew with the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland and lost narrowly to England, going out without a win. In 2018, despite Salah's presence, they lost all three group games to Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia. So the first target in 2026 is not a knockout match at all. It is a win, any win, the first in the country's World Cup history.
What makes 2026 different is the combination of a kinder format and the best supporting cast Salah has ever had at international level. Omar Marmoush gives Egypt a second forward who can win a game on his own, the defence that anchored a 26-point qualifying campaign is settled, and the expanded bracket means a third-place finish can still open the door to the round of 32. If Egypt take care of New Zealand and steal a result against Belgium or Iran, the knockout rounds, and a genuine shot at a first World Cup knockout win, are realistically on the table for the first time.
Egypt are one of 48 nations heading to the 2026 World Cup. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
The full 2026 World Cup group draw, including Egypt's Group G with Belgium, New Zealand and Iran.
See the groups ›Thomas Tuchel's confirmed 26, the headline omissions, and how our projection scored.
Read the England page ›The top players going to the 2026 World Cup, with Egypt's Mohamed Salah among them.
View the top 12 ›All 104 fixtures across 16 host cities, with kickoff times you can filter to Egypt.
Open the schedule ›WorldCuply.com is the premium .com for 2026 World Cup content, coverage and commerce. The listing price rises $100 every day until kickoff on 11 June 2026. Every day you wait, the ask goes up.