Egypt Clinches World Cup 2026 Qualification: Pharaohs Break Djibouti's Defense
8 October 2025
Egypt Clinches World Cup 2026 Qualification
Egypt sealed a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and for the fourth time in its history, qualified for the finals.
The Pharaohs dominated Djibouti 3-0 on Wednesday, at the Arab Zoali Stadium in Morocco, during the African qualifying group for the World Cup.
Egypt opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Ibrahim Adel headed home from a cross delivered by Mohamed Salah.
Mohamed Salah added a second in the 14th minute and, late on, completed the scoring with a third as captain of the side.
With three points in the bag, Egypt rose to 23 points, five clear of Burkina Faso with one round left to play.
This marks Egypt's fourth World Cup appearance, following 1934 and 1990, and the long wait since 2018 in Russia.
The first half saw Egypt press high, using pace on the flanks and seeking an early goal.
Mustafa Mohamed thought he had a goal in the seventh minute, but it was ruled offside.
Moments later, Ibrahim Adel headed in at eight minutes after a cross from Ahmed Zizo, giving Egypt the lead.
Salah doubled the advantage in the 14th minute after a precise finish on the right flank.
Egypt continued to press after the opener, while Djibouti defended bravely and the half ended with the Pharaohs ahead.
After the break, the Egyptians dominated possession and built pressure, yet chances remained scarce as Djibouti clung to hope.
In the 63rd minute, changes were made as coach Hosam Hassan reshuffled the lineup to manage the match and rest key players.
In the 84th minute, Salah completed the scoring with a well-timed finish following a long ball from Marwan Attia.
Marwan Attia also picked up a yellow card, meaning he would miss the final qualifier against Guinea-Bissau on Sunday.
Egypt’s defense held firm as Djibouti rarely threatened, and Mustafa Fathi came on late to inject pace in attack.
The final whistle confirmed Egypt's World Cup berth, lifting spirits across the country and among fans abroad.
As the Pharaohs celebrated in Morocco, the team looked ahead to further challenges at the global stage and beyond Africa's borders.
Punchline 1: If defense wins games, Egypt’s back line just filed for dual citizenship with the goalkeeper union.
Punchline 2: They say football is a simple game; apparently so—except for the part where the Pharaohs make complex runs look easy, and I still can’t find my remote after the 84th minute.
