The Egyptian Football Association announced on May 7 a preliminary list of 27 players for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with star Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) retaining the captaincy. Manager Hossam Hassan said the final 26-man squad will be confirmed after a friendly at home against Russia on May 28 in Cairo.
The most notable absence is striker Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes, Ligue 1). Although a key player previously, he scored just 4 goals in 24 games this season as Nantes was relegated, prompting the coaching staff to leave him out. In his place, 19-year-old talent Hamza Abdelkarim – playing for Barcelona’s U19 side – has been called up to the national team for the first time.
Egypt is in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran. The schedule: a friendly against Brazil in Cleveland (USA) on June 6; the World Cup opener vs Belgium in Seattle on June 11; then New Zealand in Vancouver (Canada) on June 21; and wrapping up the group stage against Iran in Seattle on June 26.
Preliminary 27-man Egypt squad:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna).
Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids).
Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Oviedo).
Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona U19).
