Egypt secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup without losing a single qualifying match, conceding only two goals in 10 games and scoring 19 in nine matches played [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Mohamed Salah will captain the team in what could be his last World Cup appearance [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Despite their strong qualification campaign, Egypt has never won a World Cup match in their three previous appearances [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Coach Hossam Hassan, a national football legend, confirmed he will keep the team’s tactics largely unchanged, having finalized 90% of the squad [2]. "Hossam Hassan is completely different from the foreign coaches we have had before. He manages to convince you that you are the best player in the world even if you’re coming to the camp not having been in good form," said midfielder Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed [2]. Egypt is expected to start matches in a 4-3-3 formation with the flexibility to switch to 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 depending on the game situation [2].

A strong and disciplined defense has been key to Egypt’s unbeaten run in the qualifiers [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Among the emerging players, 27-year-old Omar Marmoush of Manchester City is expected to step up as a potential successor to Salah [s1,s2,s3,4,5].

Drawn in Group G, Egypt will face Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand at the tournament [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Belgium, ranked 9th by FIFA, is undergoing a generational shift after an early exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar [1, 3, 4, 5]. Veteran players like Kevin De Bruyne (34) and Thibaut Courtois (33) likely are playing their last major tournament, while younger talents such as Amadou Onana (24), Jeremy Doku (23), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (21), and Charles de Ketelaere (25) look to bring fresh energy [1, 3, 4, 5].

Iran, ranked 21st by FIFA, qualified with 11 wins, 1 loss, and 4 draws but has never advanced past the group stage in the World Cup [1, 3, 4, 5]. New Zealand returns after a 16-year absence, entering the tournament as the lowest-ranked team in the group [1, 3, 4, 5].

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, with Egypt aiming to break its winless streak in the global tournament [2].