Sisi receives the World Cup trophy: Wishes for the 2026 World Cup and the dream of hosting it
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received on Sunday a delegation from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), which is currently visiting Cairo, bringing with it the original version of the World Cup trophy, as part of the global promotional tour for the most expensive tournament in the world of football.
During the meeting, President El-Sisi revealed two main aspirations concerning the future of Egyptian and international football. His first wish was for the Egyptian national team to achieve positive and honorable results in the upcoming tournament, securing its place among the world's elite, especially given the increased qualification opportunities for African teams. His second wish expressed Egypt's ambition to host the FIFA World Cup in the future, a dream cherished by Egyptian fans for many years.
A historic tour of the gold trophy
The FIFA delegation's visit to Cairo is part of the promotional tour for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This historic tour spans 30 countries and 75 cities worldwide, having begun in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, before arriving in Cairo, reflecting the importance of the Arab region on the global football map.
Stars and legends in the presence of the President
The FIFA delegation included prominent figures, most notably Italian defensive legend Fabio Cannavaro, a 2006 World Cup winner, as well as Javier Ignacio Sepe Berdeevski, a director at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, and Sebastian Ferrio, director of the World Cup trophy tour. The president welcomed the delegation, emphasizing the role of sport in bringing people together.
The context of the 2026 World Cup and the aspirations of the Pharaohs
The upcoming World Cup is of particular importance, as it will be the largest in the tournament’s history in terms of the number of participating teams, which has increased to include 48 teams instead of 32. This expansion gives the African continent additional seats, which enhances the chances of the Egyptian national team to qualify and return to the global stage after its last participation in Russia 2018, and to try to repeat the achievements of the golden generation and surpass the group stage, which the Pharaohs have not surpassed in their three previous participations (1934, 1990, 2018).
Infrastructure and the dream of hosting
President Sisi's ambition to host the World Cup in the future is bolstered by a significant sporting infrastructure boom in Egypt in recent years. The state has completed the construction of the Egypt International Olympic City in the New Administrative Capital, which includes a world-class stadium with a capacity exceeding 90,000 spectators. In addition, numerous stadiums across various governorates have been upgraded, and a modern road and transportation network has been developed, making Egypt's bid to host major sporting events more realistic and robust than in previous years.
