Egypt National Football Team: Squad, Records, and the 2026 World Cup Run
Egypt, the Pharaohs, are the most decorated team in African football, with a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles. In 2026 the team reached the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup, the first time it has advanced past the group stage. This guide covers the federation dossier, the full current squad, the 2026 World Cup campaign, the Africa Cup of Nations record, the history, the records and legends, the home venues, and how to order a custom team kit.
Egypt at a Glance
Egypt is a CAF nation run by the Egyptian Football Association, and the oldest football power in Africa. These are the key details for the 2026 cycle, updated in October 2026.
- Association
- Egyptian Football Association, EFA
- Founded
- 1923, the year Egypt joined FIFA
- FIFA and CAF
- FIFA member since 1923, a founding member of the Confederation of African Football in 1957
- Nickname
- The Pharaohs
- FIFA code
- EGY
- Confederation
- CAF, Africa, and UNAF, North Africa
- Head coach
- Hossam Hassan, the all time leading scorer, in charge since 2024
- Captain
- Mohamed Salah, with the leadership group around him
- Home venues
- Cairo International Stadium, with selected matches at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria
- FIFA ranking
- 24 in July 2026, with a highest ever placing of 9 in 2010
- Colours
- Red, white, and black, the colours of the national flag
- Main honours
- 7 Africa Cup of Nations titles, and a World Cup Round of 16 in 2026
The Run to the Round of 16
Egypt reached the finals for the fourth time and, for the first time in team history, advanced past the group stage. They were drawn in Group G with Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran, then beat Australia on penalties before a narrow loss to Argentina.
- Group G D
Belgium 1:1 Egypt
15 June 2026
Lumen Field, Seattle
- Group G W
New Zealand 1:3 Egypt
21 June 2026
BC Place, Vancouver
- Group G D
Egypt 1:1 Iran
26 June 2026
Lumen Field, Seattle
- Round of 32 W
Australia 1:1 Egypt, Egypt won 4:2 on penalties
3 July 2026
AT&T Stadium, Arlington
- Round of 16 L
Argentina 3:2 Egypt
7 July 2026
Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta
The 3:1 win over New Zealand was Egypt first ever World Cup victory. Mohamed Salah scored in that match and set up the run to the knockout stage. The page at the FIFA World Cup 2026 team page holds the official squad and match centre, and the Egypt page on Wikipedia lists the full results archive.
The Current Egypt Squad
Hossam Hassan calls on a core of Egyptian league players at Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Pyramids, with the captain Mohamed Salah and a group of European based names around them. This is the 26 player squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the friendly against South Africa, grouped by position, with the shirt number, the club, and the caps and goals as of 25 September 2026.
Goalkeepers
4- 1 Mostafa Shobeir Al Ahly, Egypt Caps15 Goals0
- 26 Mohamed Alaa Ceramica Cleopatra, Egypt Caps0 Goals0
- · Abdelaziz El Balouti National Bank of Egypt, Egypt Caps0 Goals0
- 16 El Mahdy Soliman Zamalek, Egypt Caps0 Goals0
Defenders
8- 5 Ramy Rabia Al Ain, United Arab Emirates Caps50 Goals5
- 3 Mohamed Hany Al Ahly, Egypt Caps48 Goals0
- 13 Ahmed Fatouh Zamalek, Egypt Caps43 Goals1
- 6 Mohamed Abdelmonem Nice, France Caps38 Goals3
- 4 Hossam Abdelmaguid Ludogorets Razgrad, Bulgaria Caps16 Goals0
- 15 Karim Hafez Pyramids, Egypt Caps12 Goals0
- 24 Tarek Alaa ZED, Egypt Caps3 Goals0
- 2 Omar Fayed Frosinone, Italy Caps0 Goals0
Midfielders
10- 10 Mohamed Salah Trabzonspor, Turkey Caps122 Goals68
- 25 Zizo Al Ahly, Egypt Caps68 Goals5
- 19 Marwan Attia Al Ahly, Egypt Caps39 Goals1
- 8 Emam Ashour Al Ahly, Egypt Caps35 Goals2
- 17 Mohanad Lasheen Pyramids, Egypt Caps28 Goals0
- 20 Ibrahim Adel Nordsjælland, Denmark Caps26 Goals3
- 21 Mahmoud Saber Pyramids, Egypt Caps18 Goals2
- 11 Mostafa Ziko Pyramids, Egypt Caps8 Goals4
- 12 Haissem Hassan Celtic, Scotland Caps7 Goals0
- 18 Ali Mahmoud Al Ahly, Egypt Caps1 Goals0
Forwards
3- 22 Omar Marmoush Tottenham Hotspur, England Caps56 Goals11
- 9 Hamza Abdelkarim Barcelona, Spain Caps7 Goals0
- · Osama Faisal National Bank of Egypt, Egypt Caps16 Goals0
Squad data cross checked in October 2026 against the Egyptian Football Association, Wikipedia, and ESPN. Shirt numbers and club affiliations can change between windows, and a small number of senior players were rested or unavailable for this call up, so the official association squad is the final word on any late change.
Seven Africa Cup of Nations Titles
Egypt are the most successful team in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, with a record seven titles and ten final appearances. They are the only nation to win the tournament three times in a row.
Semi finalists in Morocco
At the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, played in Morocco from December 2025 into January 2026, Egypt topped a group with Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Angola, beat Benin in extra time and Ivory Coast in the quarter final, then lost to Senegal in the semi final and finished fourth.
Group B is under way
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign opened with a 0:0 draw against Angola in Cairo and a 5:0 win away to South Sudan. Egypt face Malawi home and away in November 2026, with the return legs against Angola and South Sudan in March 2027.
Three in a row
Egypt won the tournament in 2006, 2008, and 2010 under coach Hassan Shehata, a run no other nation has matched. The golden generation also reached the final in 2017 and 2021, losing to Cameroon and then to Senegal on penalties.
Egypt have reached the Africa Cup of Nations 27 times, more than any other nation, and have won it a record seven times. The Confederation of African Football publishes the official tournament record.
From 1920 to the 2026 World Cup
Egypt helped bring football to Africa and the world stage, from the first Olympic tournament in 1920 to the golden generation of the 2000s and the breakthrough in 2026.
- 28 August 1920
Egypt play their first international, a 2:1 loss to Italy in Ghent, becoming the first nation outside Europe and the Americas to play at the Olympic football tournament.
- 1923
The Egyptian Football Association joins FIFA, and Egypt become a founding member of the Confederation of African Football in 1957.
- 1934
Egypt reach their first World Cup in Italy. Abdulrahman Fawzi scores both goals against Hungary to become the first African scorer at a World Cup.
- 1957
Egypt win the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, then win it again in 1959 as the United Arab Republic.
- 1963 to 1974
Egypt finish third at the Africa Cup of Nations three times, in 1963, 1970, and 1974, and take fourth place at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
- 1986
Egypt win the Africa Cup of Nations as hosts, a third title, and qualify for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
- 1998
A fourth Africa Cup of Nations title in Burkina Faso, and a second appearance at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1999.
- 2006 to 2010
The golden generation wins three Africa Cup of Nations titles in a row, a feat no other nation has matched, and reaches the FIFA ranking of ninth in 2010.
- 2017 and 2021
Egypt reach two more Africa Cup of Nations finals, losing to Cameroon in 2017 and to Senegal in 2021, and return to the World Cup in 2018 after 28 years away.
- 2025 and 2026
Egypt reach the semi finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and finish fourth, then reach the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, the first time the team has advanced past the group stage.
- October 2026
The team begins the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with a friendly against South Africa in Cairo.
What Egypt Has Won
A record continental haul, a historic World Cup run, and Olympic recognition across a century of football.
Africa Cup of Nations
A record seven titles, and the only nation to win three in a row, in 2006, 2008, and 2010.AFCON finals
Egypt have reached the Africa Cup of Nations final ten times, more than any other team.World Cup best
The Round of 16 in 1934 and 2026, the deepest run at a World Cup.Olympic Games
Fourth place at the Olympics in 1928, 1964, and 2024, an African record of thirteen appearances.Egypt also won the 1992 FIFA Arab Cup, took bronze at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, and appeared twice at the FIFA Confederations Cup, in 1999 and 2009, where they beat world champions Italy.
Records and Legends
The milestones that define the team record, and the players most often named when Egypt supporters talk about the greatest to wear the shirt.
Most caps
Ahmed Hassan, from 1995 to 2012, a record for Egypt and a former world record.
Most goals
Hossam Hassan, from 1985 to 2006, and the current head coach of the team.
AFCON titles
The most of any African nation, including three in a row from 2006 to 2010.
FIFA ranking
July 2026, with a highest ever placing of ninth in 2010.
Ahmed Hassan
Egypt and Africa most capped player with 184 appearances, and a four time Africa Cup of Nations winner, including the three in a row from 2006 to 2010.
Hossam Hassan
The all time leading scorer with 69 goals in 176 caps, a three time Africa Cup of Nations winner as a player, and the head coach who led the team to the 2026 World Cup Round of 16.
Essam El Hadary
159 caps across four Africa Cup of Nations titles. In 2018 he became the oldest player ever to appear at a World Cup, at 45 years and 161 days.
Mohamed Aboutrika
The elegant playmaker of the golden generation, and the scorer of the winning goal in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations final against Cameroon.
Abdulrahman Fawzi
The first African to score at a World Cup, with both goals in Egypt 2:4 Hungary at the 1934 tournament in Italy.
Mohamed Salah
The current captain and one of the great modern forwards, with 122 caps and 68 goals. He led Egypt to the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 and wears the number ten.
Hassan Shehata
The coach of the golden generation, and the only manager to win three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles, in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
Mahmoud El Gohary
One of the few figures to win the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a head coach, leading the team to the 1998 title.
The Stadiums and the Support
Egypt do not have a single fixed home. The biggest matches land in Cairo, with selected fixtures in Alexandria, and the support travels across the continent and beyond.
Cairo International Stadium
The national stadium in Cairo, and the usual home for the biggest qualifiers. It holds more than 75,000 spectators and has hosted Africa Cup of Nations finals and World Cup qualifiers across several decades.
Alexandria and beyond
Selected fixtures move to the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, which holds more than 80,000. The spread of venues takes the team to both ends of the country and fills grounds outside the capital.
The Pharaohs support
Egypt supporters travel in large numbers, and the team carries a passionate following across Africa and the Middle East. Home qualifiers fill the Cairo ground, and the 2026 World Cup run drew crowds across the United States and Canada.
Print a Red, White, and Black Team Kit
If you run a club, a school side, or a supporter group, you can build your own football kit in any colourway. We print full sublimation jerseys, so a detailed design with many colours costs the same as a plain one.
Any colourway at one print cost
Build a kit around red, white, and black, or any other palette. Gradients, sashes, and full all over patterns print at a single price, with no per colour screen fee.
Names, numbers, and crests
Add a player name and number to the back, a crest to the chest, and sponsor marks where you want them. Each piece is printed inside the same batch so the colours match across the set.
- PHP ₱320.00 Philippine Peso
- USD $5.10 US Dollar
- EUR €4.45 Euro
- GBP £3.85 British Pound
A custom sublimation team jersey starts at 320 Philippine Pesos per piece, about 5.10 US Dollars, 4.45 Euros, or 3.85 British Pounds at the rate shown. Prices convert live in the header currency switcher and the cart settles in the selected currency at checkout. Team and bulk runs fall below the single piece rate as the quantity rises, and every order receives a written quotation on the exact specification.
Egypt National Team: Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers on the coach, the captain, the 2026 World Cup, the Africa Cup of Nations record, the next fixtures, and how to order custom team jerseys.
Who is the Egypt national football team head coach?
Hossam Hassan has been the head coach since 2024. The former striker, and Egypt all time leading scorer with 69 goals, is the first coach to take the team past the group stage of a World Cup, reaching the Round of 16 in 2026.
Who is the Egypt captain?
Mohamed Salah is the captain. The forward has 122 caps and 68 goals for Egypt, and in 2026 he moved from Liverpool to the Turkish club Trabzonspor, where he wears the number ten. He led the team through the 2026 World Cup campaign.
How did Egypt do at the 2026 World Cup?
Egypt were drawn in Group G with Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran. They drew 1:1 with Belgium, beat New Zealand 3:1 for their first ever World Cup win, and drew 1:1 with Iran. In the new Round of 32 they beat Australia on penalties after a 1:1 draw, then lost 3:2 to Argentina in the Round of 16. It is the best result in the team history and the first time Egypt have advanced past the group stage.
How many Africa Cup of Nations titles has Egypt won?
Egypt have won a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010. They are the only nation to win three in a row, from 2006 to 2010, and they have reached the final ten times. At the 2025 tournament they reached the semi finals and finished fourth.
What are Egypt next matches?
After the 2026 World Cup, Egypt play a friendly against South Africa in Cairo on 4 October 2026, then continue the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Malawi home and away in November 2026, with the return legs against Angola and South Sudan in March 2027.
Can I order custom football jerseys in Egypt team colours?
Yes. We print custom football jerseys in full sublimation, so a red and black design with a crest, a player name, and a number prints at one cost with no per colour screen fee. A single custom jersey starts at 320 Philippine Pesos, about 5.10 US Dollars, 4.45 Euros, or 3.85 British Pounds. Team and bulk runs fall below that rate as the quantity rises. Send the design brief and we will return a mock up and a written quotation.
Request a Team Kit Quote
Send the quantity, the sizes, the colourway, and any crest or artwork. We will return a mock up direction and a written quotation with the unit cost, the coverage, and the lead time.