Egypt reject Bolivia international friendly proposal

The Egyptian national team technical staff, led by head coach Hossam Hassan, have rejected the opportunity to play a friendly match against Bolivia during the upcoming October international break.

As per reports, the Egyptian football authorities received an official proposal from the Bolivian Football Federation to arrange a friendly between the two nations in Cairo.

However, Hassan and his technical team opted against the South American opposition, preferring to use the October camp to face an African side as part of their preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The decision has reportedly led to an agreement being reached for Egypt to face South Africa instead of Bolivia during the October international window.

The Pharaohs are currently focused on their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the team set to begin their September camp ahead of two important Group B fixtures.

Egypt will face Angola on Friday, September 25, before taking on South Sudan four days later on Tuesday, September 29.

Hassan’s technical staff believe facing African opposition will provide more suitable preparation for the challenges Egypt are likely to encounter during the AFCON qualifiers.

The Pharaohs are in Group B alongside Angola, South Sudan and Malawi as they bid to secure qualification for the 2027 continental tournament.

The top two teams from each of the 12 qualifying groups will earn places at the Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

Egypt will therefore be hoping to make a strong start to their qualifying campaign when they take on Angola before facing South Sudan.

The decision to turn down Bolivia also reflects Hassan’s preference for his squad to gain more experience against African opposition, particularly with the qualifiers forming the team’s immediate priority.

A potential meeting with South Africa in October would provide another opportunity for the Egyptian coaching staff to assess their players against a familiar continental opponent while continuing preparations for the remainder of the qualifying campaign.