Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has confirmed his final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the nation's return to the tournament for the first time since 2018.
The squad was finalized on May 29, shortly after Egypt's 1-0 victory over Russia in the New Capital Cup final.
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Egypt has participated in three previous World Cups—1934, 1990, and 2018—but has never won a match at the finals.
Hassan initially named a 27-man preliminary list on May 21 but later dropped Enppi forward Aqtay Abdallah to meet FIFA's squad limit.
The squad relies heavily on domestic league talent, with only nine of the 26 players currently based abroad.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah captains the team for his second World Cup. He turns 34 on the day of Egypt's opening match against Belgium.
Salah has scored 67 goals in 116 international appearances.
Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush joins Salah in attack, alongside Mahmoud Trezeguet and Ahmed Zizo.
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Hassan also included 18-year-old striker Hamza Abdel Karim, who plays for Barcelona Atlètic on loan from Al Ahly.
Notable omissions include Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed and former Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny. Hassan defended his selection of mostly home-based players.
Egypt will play a final preparatory friendly against Brazil in Ohio on June 6.
World Cup Group G Fixtures
Egypt is in Group G alongside Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. Belgium, coached by Rudi Garcia, is favored to top the group.
Egypt's group stage schedule:
- vs Belgium: June 15, Seattle, USA, 8pm BST
- vs New Zealand: June 22, Vancouver, Canada, 2am BST
- vs Iran: June 27, Seattle, USA, 4am BST
The final group match against Iran is expected to decide whether Egypt advances to the knockout stage for the first time.
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The full squad includes goalkeepers Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobier, El Mahdy Soliman, and Mohamed Alaa; defenders Mohamed Hany, Tarek Alaa, Hamdy Fathy, Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Ahmed Fatouh, and Karim Hafez; and forwards Omar Marmoush, Hamza Abdel Karim, and others.
