Mohamed Salah to captain Egypt as squad announced for FIFA World Cup 2026

Mohamed Salah is set to captain Egypt at the World Cup this summer after being named in their preliminary 27-man squad.

The 33-year-old forward, who will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after nine years, has scored 67 goals in 115 appearances for Egypt.

He is joined by Manchester City winger Omar Marmoush and uncapped 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for Barcelona Under-19s.

Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed has been left out, and head coach Hossam Hassan will drop one player after a friendly against Russia in Cairo on 28 May to reduce the squad to the Fifa-mandated 26 players.

Egypt will play Brazil in a friendly in Cleveland on 6 June.

Drawn in Group G at the World Cup, Egypt face Belgium on 15 June, New Zealand on 22 June and Iran on 27 June.

The expanded 48-team competition in the US, Canada and Mexico runs from 11 June to 19 July.

Egypt World Cup squad

• 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 Ovideo).
• Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona).