Egypt kicked off their final preparation cycle for the 2026 World Cup in impressive fashion, grinding out a 1-0 victory over Russia in a high-profile international friendly. Though the Pharaohs are gearing up for a daunting June 15 tournament opener against Belgium, this gritty performance proved they won’t just be making up the numbers on the world stage—even with talisman Mohamed Salah watching from the stadium suites rather than leading the charge on the pitch.
While Russia remain banned from official international competition due to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe, the national team is focused on evaluating top talent from both its domestic league and overseas. The goal is to build a competitive foundation so that the squad is primed and ready to compete the moment global sanctions are lifted.
Utilizing a heavily rotated squad, Egypt continued their build-up toward the 2026 World Cup as manager Hossam Hassan used the opportunity to deep-dive into his roster and evaluate his depth players on the international stage.





