Mohamed Salah has won everything English football has to offer. A Premier League title. A Champions League. The Golden Boot, multiple times. He has been, for the better part of a decade, one of the three best footballers on earth. The one thing missing from his national team story is a deep run at a World Cup. The 2026 tournament, Egypt’s first since 2018, is his best, and possibly last, chance to fix that.
Egypt return to the global stage after an eight-year absence, arriving as one of Africa’s heavyweights with a squad built around two Premier League-calibre attackers and a defensive unit that was rock-solid throughout qualification. For the first time in their history, there is genuine belief that Egypt can reach the knockout rounds.
The Salah Story
Mohamed Salah turns 34 on 15 June 2026, the same day Egypt open their World Cup campaign against Belgium in Seattle. His last World Cup in Russia 2018 was defined by a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final just weeks before. Egypt lost all three group games. This time he arrives fit, as captain, closing in on Egypt’s all-time scoring record of 69 goals held by current coach Hossam Hassan, Salah needs just two goals to equal it. Breaking that record, at a World Cup, would be the kind of moment careers are defined by.
Salah made his emotional departure from Liverpool after nearly a decade at Anfield before the tournament, arriving as a free agent with the singular focus of the World Cup ahead of him.
Omar Marmoush: The Perfect Partner
Salah does not arrive alone. Omar Marmoush, Manchester City forward who scored eight goals in 36 competitive appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, provides one of the tournament’s most intriguing attacking partnerships. Where Salah operates from the flank and cuts inside, Marmoush is more direct through the centre. The two have played together for Egypt with growing chemistry, and their combination, tested at Premier League level, gives Egypt a technical edge that previous iterations of this national team never possessed.
Egypt qualified by going unbeaten across 10 matches, winning 8, scoring 20 goals and conceding just two, a defensive record underlining the solidity coach Hossam Hassan has built around his stars.
The Teenage Wild Card
The most unexpected name in Egypt’s squad is Hamza Abdelkarim, an 18-year-old striker on loan at Barcelona Atlètic from Al Ahly. His inclusion over more experienced options signals Hossam Hassan’s confidence in the teenager’s ceiling. If Salah is the established headline and Marmoush the experienced partner, Abdelkarim is the unpredictable option, the player who might produce something extraordinary precisely because opponents haven’t fully worked him out yet.
Group G: Belgium, Iran, New Zealand
Egypt are in Group G alongside Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. Belgium, featuring Kevin De Bruyne and deep European quality, are the clear group favourites. But Egypt need only a second-place finish, or a strong third, to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
New Zealand and Iran are both manageable opponents. The Belgium match on 15 June in Seattle is the defining fixture. Egypt’s all three Group G matches are on the US West Coast, played in Seattle and Vancouver.
Africa’s Seven-Time Champions
Egypt hold the record for the most AFCON titles of any nation, seven. On the world stage, however, a round of 16 exit has always been beyond them. In 2018 they fell at the group stage. Now, with the best attacking duo in their history, the benchmark is being raised.
Egypt Quick Facts: 2026 World Cup
- FIFA ranking: 29th
- Group: G, Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Opening match: vs Belgium, 15 June 2026, Lumen Field, Seattle
- Coach: Hossam Hassan
- Captain: Mohamed Salah
- Key players: Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, Hamza Abdelkarim, Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mohamed Abdelmonem
- Best World Cup result: Group stage (1934, 1990, 2018)
- AFCON wins: 7 (all-time record)
- Base camp: Northern Quest Resort, Airway Heights, Washington
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mohamed Salah playing at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. Mohamed Salah is captain of Egypt’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He turns 34 on 15 June, the same day Egypt open against Belgium in Seattle.
What group is Egypt in at the 2026 World Cup?
Egypt are in Group G alongside Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. Their opening match is against Belgium on 15 June 2026 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Has Egypt ever reached the knockout rounds at a World Cup?
No. Egypt have never progressed beyond the group stage at a FIFA World Cup. Their previous appearances were in 1934, 1990, and 2018, all ending in the group stage. The 2026 tournament represents their best realistic opportunity to reach the round of 32 for the first time.
Who is Egypt’s coach at the 2026 World Cup?
Egypt are managed by Hossam Hassan, who also holds the Egyptian national team’s all-time scoring record with 69 goals, a record Salah is two goals away from equalling at the tournament.
When did Egypt last play at a FIFA World Cup?
Egypt last played at a FIFA World Cup in Russia 2018, where they were eliminated in the group stage. The 2026 tournament ends an eight-year absence.