Egypt – World Cup Profile: Salah’s Legacy and the Hunt for a Historic First Win | OneFootball

Egypt was the first African nation to compete at a World Cup, dating all the way back to the 1934 tournament in Italy. While 2026 marks their fourth appearance at the Finals, the seven-time African champions are remarkably still searching for their first win at the tournament, having recorded two draws and five losses across their previous outings.

But history beckons for the Pharaohs. If they can secure that elusive first victory, they are well-placed to progress to the knockout stages for the first time in this newly expanded format. Opta’s supercomputer gives them a 68.2% chance of reaching the last 32.

How They Qualified

After the heartbreak of missing out on World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Egypt secured their place at the 2026 Finals with relative ease, finishing five points clear at the top of Group A in the CAF region. The Pharaohs went unbeaten across their ten qualifying matches, winning eight and conceding just twice along the way.

Captain Mohamed Salah was, predictably, the engine behind the campaign. He scored nine of the team’s 20 goals, including a brace in a 3-0 win over Djibouti that secured qualification with a game to spare.

Key Player

A disappointing final season at Liverpool – where Mohamed Salah notched just seven goals and seven assists in 27 Premier League appearances and made more headlines off the pitch than on it – led many to question if the 33-year-old’s powers were finally on the wane.

However, for Egypt, the prolific forward remains the undisputed main man. He has now captained his nation to two World Cups, a feat no other Egyptian has achieved.

The raw numbers also highlight his immense value: this campaign, he broke the African World Cup qualification scoring record by reaching 20 goals, surpassing legends like Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Islam Slimani, and Moumouni Dagano (all tied on 18).

The Egyptian King is also the second-highest all-time scorer for the Pharaohs with 67 strikes, sitting just behind his current manager, Hossam Hassan, who scored 69.

Salah knows time is running out to leave a final lasting legacy; leading the team out of the group stage for the first time would be a historic way to do it.

Breakout Potential

To balance out the unavoidably obvious choice of star player, we have gone with an outsider for the ‘one to watch’ tag. Eighteen-year-old striker Hamza Abdelkarim has been described as the “jewel” of the Egyptian youth system after a prolific scoring run in continental U17 tournaments.

Currently on loan at Barcelona B, the teenage forward is comfortable with both feet and is widely regarded as one of Africa’s brightest young talents. He has featured off the bench in Egypt’s World Cup warm-up matches—most recently against Brazil—and could provide a spark of magic as a “super-sub” when a match needs an injection of fresh energy.

Coach Profile

Before Mo Salah, there was Hossam Hassan.

As a player, Hassan won the Africa Cup of Nations three times, represented his nation at the 1990 World Cup, and retired as Egypt’s all-time top scorer. Appointed head coach in February 2024, the national icon promptly guided the Pharaohs to a fourth World Cup with an almost flawless qualifying campaign, becoming the first Egyptian to reach the tournament as both a player and a manager.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, however. A semi-final exit to Senegal at AFCON 2025 on home soil irked the fans and led to speculation regarding his future. But the fiery icon – who has coached domestic giants like Zamalek, Al Masry, Ismaily, and Pyramids FC – survived the pressure.

Known for his motivational style, Hassan can also be tactically flexible, with Egypt switching between a back-four and wing-back system depending on the opposition.

Country Fun Facts

Fan Culture

Egyptian fans are famously emotional, capable of switching between pure adoration and outright fury at their national team in a heartbeat.

However, the high cost of attending a tournament in North America and the fact that Egypt is not part of the USA visa waiver program means the hardcore “home” fans will not travel en masse.

Instead, the Egyptian diaspora living in the USA and Canada are expected to fill the stands, ensuring a very different atmosphere compared to the cauldron of Cairo.

Group stage fixtures

June 15 – Belgium vs. Egypt – Seattle, 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PTJune 21 – New Zealand vs. Egypt – Vancouver, 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PTJune 26 – Egypt vs. Iran – Seattle, 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT