Egypt’s 3-0 win over Djibouti in in October secured their place at the 2026 World Cup.
The Pharaohs put the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar behind them to book their place early.
Egypt were spearheaded by Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who has been in terrific form for his country. They will be eager to make their mark next summer.
Egypt Sweep Through the Qualifiers
Hossam Hassan has done a remarkable job since taking over as manager, transforming Egypt into a cohesive unit in international football.
Egypt obliterated everything in their path on the way to becoming the third African nation to book their place in the World Cup.
They won eight and drew two of their ten qualifying matches, scoring 20 goals and conceding only twice.
He has got the best out of Salah, who bagged nine goals in qualifying. He will be their biggest attacking threat at the tournament.
Egypt’s defensive prowess will come in handy at the World Cup, where they will likely be on the back foot against higher-ranked teams.
They dominated African teams in qualifying, but the World Cup is a different ball game and Hassan must adapt his tactics.
Salah Will be Crucial to Egypt’s Hopes
Morocco became the first African team to reach the semi-finals in 2022, and the Pharaohs will be eager to make a similar splash in North America.
Egypt’s hopes will rest mainly on Salah’s shoulders. He has been their talisman since his debut in 2011, bagging 61 goals and 34 goals in 107 outings.
Despite becoming the country’s top scorer and establishing himself as a top player in England, the 33-year-old needs to cement his legacy with the national team.
He helped them reach the African Cup of Nations final in 2021, but the World Cup next year is an opportunity to leave an everlasting memory for his country.
It is his last chance to surpass the legacies of Egyptian legends and etch his name into the record books as the country’s greatest player of all time.
While his recent form for Liverpool has been extremely poor, Salah is a key player for Egypt.
With support from Omar Marmoush, Salah will be hoping he can find his groove and drag Egypt to the latter stages of the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup Offers Egypt a Shot at Redemption
Egypt have previously struggled at the World Cup, failing to advance from their group in their previous two appearances.
Even during the height of their dominance in African football, they could not turn it on at the prestigious tournament. Despite being the oldest national team in Africa, they have always flattered to deceive on the biggest stage.
Bookmakers rate them as 251.00 shots to lift the trophy, highlighting the size of the task they face next summer. However, betting sites in Egypt will be inundated with wagers from local punters. They will believe that Egypt can defy the odds.
They have looked a different outfit under Hassan. They are tactically well-structured, defensively resolute and have dangerous attacking weapons.
There is also a newfound resolve to at least match Morocco’s efforts at Qatar 2022. They demonstrated that African teams can compete on the biggest stage.
Egypt have more than enough in the tank to get past the group stage. They have a combination of top-level and tournament experience to guide them through.
They have looked terrific in qualifying and will bet on themselves to at least reach the quarter-final if they play to their full potential.
If Hassan’s side carries their qualifying form into North America, they could finally deliver the World Cup memories the nation has been crying out for.
