The Egyptian national team flies to Jeddah to face Saudi Arabia in preparation for the World Cup
A private plane transports the Pharaohs' delegation to Jeddah
Ibrahim Hassan, the director of the Egyptian national football team, announced the final arrangements for the Pharaohs' trip to Saudi Arabia. He confirmed that the team will depart tomorrow, Wednesday, on a private plane bound directly for King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. This move aims to ensure maximum comfort for the players and prevent fatigue before their anticipated match against the Saudi national team next Thursday, as part of their intensive preparation program for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Key absences: Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Hamdi
In related news, Ibrahim Hassan settled the debate surrounding the squad list, confirming that Liverpool's star striker and national team captain, Mohamed Salah, will miss the March training camp. This absence is due to a recent injury and the player's need for rehabilitation to regain his fitness, a decision made in coordination with the medical staff. The team will also be without Pyramids FC's left-back, Mohamed Hamdi, who suffered a torn cruciate ligament, presenting the coaching staff with the challenge of finding suitable replacements in these crucial positions.
The history of matches between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the importance of the encounter
Matches between Egypt and Saudi Arabia always carry a strong competitive and popular weight, both regionally and within the Arab world. Historically, the two teams have met on several prominent official and friendly occasions, perhaps most notably their encounter in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Saudi Arabia. Football fans also fondly recall their meeting in the 1999 Confederations Cup. Therefore, this friendly match presents a golden opportunity for the Egyptian coaching staff to test their players' abilities against a strong and well-organized opponent with considerable international experience, reflecting the potential technical benefits of this encounter.
The road to the 2026 World Cup and facing Spain
The Egyptian national team's preparations aren't limited to the match against Saudi Arabia; the training program also includes a high-profile friendly against Spain. Both matches are scheduled for March 27th and 31st. These challenging encounters are part of a comprehensive plan to prepare the Pharaohs to compete strongly for a spot in the 2026 World Cup, which will be expanded to 48 teams, granting Africa nine direct qualification spots. This has heightened the aspirations of Egyptian fans to see their team participate in the global tournament.
The official squad list for the Egyptian national team in the March camp
The Egyptian national team's coaching staff officially announced the squad selected for the training camp starting on March 22. The squad features a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters, and the names are as follows: Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir, El Mahdy Soliman, and Mohamed Awad. Defenders: Mohamed Hany, Tarek Alaa, Ramy Rabia, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Yasser Ibrahim, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Khaled Sobhy, and Ahmed Fatouh. Midfielders: Ahmed Nabil Kouka, Hamdi Fathi, Marwan Attia, Mohannad Lasheen, Mahmoud Saber, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Emam Ashour, and Ibrahim Adel. Forwards: Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Omar Marmoush, Haitham Hassan, Islam Issa, Mostafa Mohamed, and Nasser Mansi.
