Salah to Lead Egypt at 2026 World Cup as Squad Announced

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan announced the preliminary World Cup squad on Wednesday, with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah named captain and Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed surprisingly omitted.

Salah will partner Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush to lead the attack for Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Uncapped teenager Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for Barcelona’s under-19 team, was included in the 27-man preliminary squad after impressing for the Catalan club’s youth side.

One player will be dropped to meet FIFA’s 26-man limit after Egypt’s home friendly against Russia in Cairo on May 28, just before the team departs for the United States.

Mostafa’s omission came despite his struggles at club level; he scored only four goals in 24 matches this season as Nantes were relegated from Ligue 1.

Abdelkarim, in contrast, has been in outstanding form for Barcelona’s youth team and is regarded as one of Egypt’s most promising forward prospects.

Egypt will play Brazil in a friendly in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 6 before opening their World Cup campaign against Belgium in Seattle on June 14.

They then face New Zealand in Vancouver, Canada, on June 21, and return to Seattle five days later to close Group G matches against Iran.

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna). Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids).

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Oviedo). Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona U19).

Reporting by Mohamed Yossry in Cairo, additional reporting by Ahmed El Khashab and Bassem Zahran, editing by Nick Mulvenney and Peter Rutherford.