Egypt

Egypt enter World Cup 2026 in Group G, where the early tests are Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. Egypt have never won the World Cup and have not reached the knockout rounds, with group-stage appearances in 1934, 1990, and 2018. Their continental pedigree has not yet translated at the finals. The current squad is shaped around Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, and Mohamed Elneny, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. Salah gives Egypt a match-winning outlet in any setting. If Marmoush adds secondary scoring and the midfield protects transitions, Egypt can make Group G more open than expected. If Egypt can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.