Egypt at the World Cup 2026
Egypt arrive at the 2026 World Cup after an eight-year absence — their last appearance was Russia 2018, which Salah missed the opening match of through a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final two weeks earlier. The 2026 tournament is widely viewed as the captain's last shot. Hossam Hassan — himself Egypt's all-time top scorer with 69 goals — has been head coach since April 2024 after Rui Vitória's departure.
The squad is built around Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (67 international goals, two behind his coach's all-time record). Omar Marmoush (Manchester City after his January 2025 move from Eintracht Frankfurt) provides the elite second forward Salah has lacked across his international career. Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan (Al-Ahly) plays the wide-left attacking role; Emam Ashour and Hamdy Fathy (Al-Wakrah) anchor the midfield three behind them.
Defensively the squad leans heavily on Al-Ahly's domestic core — Mohamed Hany, Rami Rabia, Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek) and Karim Hafez (Pyramids) form the back four. Mohamed El Shenawy (Al-Ahly) is the first-choice goalkeeper. Of the 26-man squad, 17 play their club football in the Egyptian Premier League.
Group G contains Belgium, Iran and New Zealand. Egypt are competing with Iran for second place behind Belgium (favourites at 1.95). The realistic ceiling is a Round of 16 result — which would equal Egypt's never-achieved knockout-round target; the credible bottom is a group-stage exit. Outright tournament price 151.0 — second among CAF nations after Morocco.
Outright odds — Egypt to win World Cup 2026
Group G fixtures
All three group-stage matches for Egypt at World Cup 2026 with current odds from our partner books.
Squad & predicted XI
El Shenawy · Hany, Rabia, Abdelmonem, Hafez · Fathi, Attia, Ashour · Salah (c), Marmoush, Trezeguet
Formation: 4-3-3 · Coach: Hossam Hassan
| Player | Position | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed El Shenawy | GK | Al-Ahly | 75 | 0 |
| Mohamed Hany | DF | Al-Ahly | 38 | 1 |
| Rami Rabia | DF | Al Ain | 60 | 4 |
| Mohamed Abdelmonem | DF | Nice | 28 | 0 |
| Hamdy Fathy | MF | Al-Wakrah | 50 | 3 |
| Marwan Attia | MF | Al-Ahly | 18 | 0 |
| Emam Ashour | MF | Al-Ahly | 28 | 8 |
| Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan | FW | Al-Ahly | 75 | 19 |
| Mohamed Salah (c) | FW | Liverpool | 115 | 67 |
| Omar Marmoush | FW | Manchester City | 26 | 11 |
How Egypt qualified for World Cup 2026
Egypt qualified from CAF Group A with 26 points from 10 matches — first place ahead of Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Eight wins, two draws, no defeats. Scored 20 goals; conceded only 2 — among the lowest concession rates of any qualifier worldwide.
Salah finished as the squad's leading qualifying scorer with 8 goals, including a four-goal haul in a 6-0 home win over Djibouti in the opening match. Trezeguet added 5 goals across consecutive wins over Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso. Marmoush contributed 3.
The squad reached the AFCON 2025 semi-finals (lost to Senegal, who were later stripped of the title in the chaotic final-protest situation involving Morocco). The semi-final run was strong reference form heading into the World Cup tournament window.
World Cup history
Egypt have appeared at three previous World Cups — Italy 1934 (lost 4-2 to Hungary in the first round), Italy 1990 (group stage with three draws against the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and England), and Russia 2018 (group stage exit with Salah scoring twice). They have never won a World Cup match. The 2026 tournament is therefore historically significant — a first-ever World Cup victory remains the immediate target.
| Year | Host | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | Italy | Round of 16 |
| 1990 | Italy | Group stage |
| 2018 | Russia | Group stage |
| Player | Position | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hossam Hassan | FW (coach) | retired | 178 | 69 |
| Mohamed Salah | FW | Liverpool | 115 | 67 |
| Hassan El-Shazly | FW | retired | 65 | 41 |
| Abdel Hamid Bassiouni | FW | retired | 60 | 30 |
| Mido | FW | retired | 51 | 20 |
| Ahmed Hassan | MF | retired | 184 | 33 |
FAQ
Who is Egypt's coach at World Cup 2026?
Hossam Hassan, head coach since April 2024 — himself Egypt's all-time top scorer with 69 international goals from 178 caps. He took over after Rui Vitória's departure and oversaw the qualifying campaign that produced 8 wins and 2 draws from 10 matches. Salah, his captain, sits two goals behind Hassan's all-time scoring record at 67.
Has Egypt ever won a World Cup match?
No. Egypt have appeared at three previous World Cups (1934, 1990, 2018) and produced three draws and six defeats — no victories. The 1990 Italy tournament was their high point with three respectable draws against the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and England. The 2026 tournament is the first realistic chance to claim a first-ever win.
Is Mohamed Salah in Egypt's 2026 squad?
Yes — as captain. Salah, 33, has 67 international goals from 115 caps — second on Egypt's all-time list, two goals behind his current head coach Hossam Hassan (69). He announced he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2025-26 season after nine years at the club. This is widely seen as his second and final World Cup.
Who is Egypt's all-time top scorer?
Hossam Hassan with 69 goals from 178 caps — now Egypt's head coach. Mohamed Salah sits two behind at 67, and has the potential to break the record at the 2026 World Cup. The all-time caps record is held by Hassan's twin brother Ahmed Hassan with 184.
What group is Egypt in at World Cup 2026?
Group G alongside Belgium, Iran and New Zealand. Belgium are favourites at 1.95; Iran second at 2.40; Egypt third at 3.50. Egypt open against Belgium at Lumen Field Seattle on 15 June, face New Zealand at BC Place Vancouver on 21 June (MD2), and conclude against Iran.