Salah appointed captain as Hassan names Egypt’s preliminary World Cup 2026 squad

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has announced a preliminary 27-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, appointing Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah as captain. The selection features Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and uncapped Barcelona under-19 forward Hamza Abdelkarim, while Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed was omitted. The squad will play a friendly against Russia on 28 May, after which one player will be cut to meet the FIFA-mandated 26-player limit ahead of the tournament.

Salah will partner with Marmoush to lead the attack at the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The inclusion of Abdelkarim, an uncapped teenager, marks a notable shift in selection strategy, with the Barcelona youth player described as one of the most promising forward talents in Egyptian football.

The omission of Mostafa Mohamed from the preliminary list has been noted as a surprise, particularly given his previous status within the national team setup. However, the Nantes forward has struggled for form this season, scoring only four goals in 24 matches as his club was relegated from Ligue 1. In contrast, Abdelkarim has been in strong form for the Barcelona under-19 team.

Egypt’s preparations will continue with a friendly against Brazil in Cleveland on 6 June before the World Cup campaign begins. The squad will play a friendly against Russia in Cairo on 28 May, after which one player will be dropped to reduce the squad to the FIFA-mandated 26-player limit.

Egypt is drawn in Group G, facing Brazil, Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran. Their group stage fixtures are scheduled as follows: 15 June against Belgium in Seattle, 21 June against New Zealand in Vancouver, and 26 June against Iran in Seattle. The full squad includes three goalkeepers, nine defenders, nine midfielders, and four forwards.