Egypt has revealed its preliminary squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 under the leadership of head coach Hossam Hassan. The team will be captained by Mohamed Salah, who, alongside Omar Marmoush, will lead the attack. Egypt is preparing for a friendly match against Russia in Cairo on May 28 and will compete in Group G of the World Cup against Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran. (May 20, Kathmandu)
Head coach Hossam Hassan announced the preliminary squad on Wednesday. Mohamed Salah will serve as captain, partnering with Omar Marmoush in the offensive line. Notably, Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed was excluded from the preliminary roster after scoring only four goals in 24 appearances this season and with his club’s relegation from Ligue 1.
Among the new inclusions is young talent Hamza Abdelkarim from Barcelona’s Under-19 team, who earns his first call-up to the national team. He is considered one of Egypt’s promising forwards. Egypt is preparing for the friendly match against Russia scheduled for May 28 in Cairo. Following the roster reduction by one player, the final 26-member squad will be announced. Ahead of the World Cup, Egypt also plans a friendly against Brazil on June 6 in Cleveland.
Placed in Group G, Egypt will begin its World Cup campaign on June 15 against Belgium, followed by matches against New Zealand on June 21 and Iran on June 26.
Egypt’s preliminary squad:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir, El Mahdi Soliman, Mohamed Alaa
Defenders: Mohamed Hany, Tarek Alaa, Hamdi Fathi, Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Ahmed Fatouh, Karim Hafez
Midfielders: Marwan Attia, Mohand Lashin, Nabil Emad, Mahmoud Saber, Ahmed Zizo, Imam Ashour, Mostafa Ziko, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Ibrahim Adel, Hossam Hassan
Forwards: Omar Marmoush, Mohamed Salah, Akte Abdullah, Hamza Abdelkarim
