At the fourth time of asking Egypt finally made it through to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their history after they finished second, and unbeaten, in Group G.
After a 1-1 draw with Belgium, Egypt made history by beating New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver for their first-ever win in this competition. This was followed by a 1-1 draw against Iran, which saw them claim second spot behind Belgium, and advance into the last-32.
Get all the latest Egypt stats, their route to the final, next match, and tactical analysis of the African nation.
Egypt World Cup 2026 route to the final
Egypt will now face Australia in the last-32, a match that will take place in Arlington on 3rd July. Win that, an the Pharaohs will go into the last-16 where they will face the winner of Argentina vs Cape Verde.
From here, they will face one of a possible four countries in the quarter-finals, including Switzerland and the winner of Group K. Potential semi-finalists include Brazil and England are two of the eight teams in the other bracket. If they manage to get through all of this, a place in the final aways on 19th July.
READ MORE: Get the latest Egypt World Cup 2026 outright odds here
Egypt World Cup 2026 Stats
Egypt key players for World Cup 2026
Egypt top World Cup Golden Boot contender: Mo Salah
- Key stat: Mo Salah has scored 67 goals in 115 appearances for Egypt, putting him second on his nation’s all-time list behind head coach Hossam Hassan (69).
As you would expect, Mo Salah played a key role in helping secure Egypt’s return to the finals. The Liverpool forward scored nine goals during the CAF qualifying campaign, a tally only bettered by Algeria’s Mohamed Amoura (10). He also netted both of Egypt’s goals on their last World Cup appearance in 2018.
Egypt primary playmaker: Omar Marmoush
- Key stat: Omar Marmoush has scored 10 goals in 46 international appearances for Egypt.
While Egypt will hope Salah provides the goals, they will be looking to the likes of Omar Marmoush to provide creativity in the attacking areas.
The Manchester City forward is rapidly approaching 50 caps, having only made his debut five years ago, and will be another key player for the Pharaohs.
Egypt card magnets & top tacklers: Marwan Attia
- Key stat: Marwan Attia received four yellow cards during the 2026 CAF World Cup qualifying campaign, more than any other Egypt player.
The central midfielder has also enjoyed a trophy-filled career, winning three successive Egyptian Premier League titles with Al-Ahly, as well as back-to-back CAF Champions League crowns.
Marwan Attia was shown four yellow cards during qualifying — with only two players receiving more — so Egypt will hope he stays out of the referee’s notebook this summer.
Egypt rising star: Hossam Abdelmaguid
Hossam Abdelmaguid is fresh from his first experience of major tournament football at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 25-year-old made four appearances as Egypt reached the semi-finals, and he will hope to lock down his place in the heart of defence at this summer’s World Cup.
STAND-OUT STAT: Egypt are one of only three teams to participate in three World Cup tournaments without ever winning a game. The other two teams are Honduras and Bolivia, neither of whom have qualified for this tournament.
Egypt set-piece specialists
- Penalties: Mo Salah
- Free kicks: Mo Salah
- Corners: Mo Salah
Egypt tactical analysis and formation
Hassan tends to prefer a 4-2-3-1 formation, though occasionally switched to a 3-5-2 during the Africa Cup of Nations. There is plenty of experience within Egypt’s ranks, notably 115-cap Salah and 92-cap Trezeguet, while goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy has 75 to his name. With Salah usually starting on the right and Marmoush through the middle, there is lots of quality up front — in terms of goalscoring ability and creativity.
Get the latest Egypt World Cup goals, shots, tackle, assist stats are more here
Egypt manager analysis
Hossam Hassan is one of the darlings of Egyptian football. His country’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals, he also helped them win three Afcon titles.
The Pharaohs were at a low ebb when he took the charge in February 2024, after Rui Vitoria was dismissed having overseen a poor Afcon campaign that saw them exit at the round-of-16 stage without winning a game.
Nevertheless, he steadied the ship by guiding Egypt back to the World Cup finals with an unbeaten record in the AFCON qualifying section. They also narrowly missed out on AFCON glory, following a 1-0 semi-final defeat by eventual champions Senegal.
The stats below are from his time in charge:
| Coach | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hossam Hassan | Egypt | 32 | 21 | 7 | 4 | 48 | 24 | 65.63% |
Egypt World Cup FAQs
Have Egypt ever won the World Cup?
No, Egypt have never won the World Cup. This will be their fourth appearance at the finals, with the Pharaohs finally grabbing their first victory.
Where did Egypt finish at the last World Cup?
Egypt failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, after losing their final CAF qualifier to Senegal on penalties.
Who will be Egypt captain at the World Cup?
Mo Salah should don the armband for Egypt. After missing his country’s opening game eight years ago, he returned to score in both their final two matches.
Who is Egypt’s all-time top goalscorer at World Cups?
Mo Salah scored his third World Cup goal to deliver Egypt’s first-ever win against New Zealand, becoming his nation’s outright top scorer at the competition in the process.
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