Egypt’s Road to AFCON and World Cup Glory: Mor mous in the Fold and a Green Light for Adventure
13 November 2025
Egypt’s Build-Up for AFCON and World Cup Quest
Egypt’s national team, under the guidance of Hany Abu-Rida, is in a high-gear preparation phase as they gear up for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco from December 21 to January 18. The squad is simultaneously mapping its path toward the 2026 World Cup, aiming to balance competitive matches with training and player availability.
The Pharaohs are set to face Uzbekistan in a friendly on Friday, followed by a clash with Iran or Cape Verde in the Al Ain tournament hosted in the United Arab Emirates next week. Abu-Rida stressed that the camp is focused on ensuring depth and avoiding injuries so the team can present its best self at AFCON and the World Cup.
He also expressed unwavering support for the coaching staff led by Hossam Hassan, noting that all requests from the technical team have been met to help reclaim Africa’s crown, which Egypt last won in 2010 in Angola.
Additionally, Abu-Rida pointed to the Al Ain tournament as a valuable platform to test new faces alongside the core players, with Egypt set to meet Nigeria in Cairo on December 14 as a final tune-up before travelling to Morocco for AFCON.
The official ruled out scheduling further friendlies after the Nigeria match, citing a tight calendar and injury concerns. He hinted at a couple of high-level warm-up games in March 2026, contingent on the World Cup draw on December 5, with plans to arrange two matches of a similar calibre.
Egypt’s AFCON Ambitions
Abu-Rida described Egypt as a nation with a taste for entertaining football and solid results, hoping for a deep run in AFCON and using it as a robust springboard for the World Cup. He emphasized the desire to reach the World Cup knockout stages for the first time since 1990 and highlighted the team’s standing on the world stage, anchored by Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and Omar Marmoush of Manchester City, among others.
He added that his dream is to have a group of professionals who can represent Egypt exceedingly well, with Salah serving as a glowing example for the squad.
Final Preparations
The Pharaohs’ training camp ahead of the Uzbekistan friendly saw goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy return after medical clearance following a muscle issue. The session featured a broad mix of players from Cairo clubs and top European sides, with the squad list still subject to last-minute adjustments.
Meanwhile, Omar Marmoush is expected to join the squad in Cairo after receiving authorization to wrap up some formalities in England. Mohamed Ismail of Zamalek also expressed his joy at receiving his first call-up, thanking the coaching staff for the opportunity and noting he would miss the Uzbekistan game but rejoin training thereafter.
As the journey toward the World Cup continues, the coach team and players remain focused on AFCON and the forthcoming global finals, with discussions about additional March friendlies dependent on the World Cup draw and arrangements for high-level warm-ups.
In Summary
The Pharaohs aim to balance a deep squad, injury-free preparation, and exciting football as they chase AFCON glory and the dream of a first World Cup knockout appearance in 2026.
Punchline 1: If Egypt win AFCON, even the Nile will have to file a compliment to the coach. It’s that serious.
Punchline 2: If they reach the World Cup knockout stage, the internet will break from memes—Salah’s speed may finally have a data cap.
