Egypt arrive at the 2026 World Cup carrying one of African football's most storied, if frustrated, legacies. This is their fourth appearance: 1934, 1990, 2018, and now 2026. They made history in Italy in 1934 as the first African and Arab nation ever to play at a World Cup, falling to Hungary four goals to two in a match that saw Abdulrahman Fawzi score twice, becoming the first African goalscorer at the tournament. Their most competitive campaign came in 1990, where they drew one apiece with the Netherlands and held Ireland to a goalless draw before losing one nil to England. They have never advanced past the first round.

Egypt sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a campaign of rare dominance in CAF Group A, finishing with eight wins, two draws, and no losses across ten matches, scoring twenty goals and conceding just two. The Pharaohs clinched top spot on 10/08/25, with a three nil victory over Djibouti, securing qualification with a game still to play. Mohamed Salah led the attack throughout, contributing nine goals, while Trezeguet added five. Under coach Hossam Hassan, who became the first Egyptian to reach the World Cup as both player and manager, Egypt arrived in North America as one of the continent's most cohesive qualifiers.