The Egyptian national team has lined up a series of high-profile friendly matches against Brazil, Spain and Saudi Arabia as part of its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The announcement was made by Egyptian Football Association president Hani Abu Rida during a press conference held on Thursday at the federation’s headquarters, where the Pharaohs’ preparation plan was officially unveiled.
Abu Rida confirmed that Egypt will face Saudi Arabia and Spain next March, before taking on Brazil shortly ahead of the World Cup, alongside another opponent yet to be announced.
“We will face Saudi Arabia and Spain next March, and just before the World Cup we will play against Brazil and another team that will be announced later,” he said.
As part of this schedule, Egypt will participate in the Qatar Football Festival in March. The national team is set to meet Saudi Arabia at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on March 26, before facing reigning European champions Spain at the Lusail Stadium on March 30.
Abu Rida stressed that the federation is fully aligned with the technical team’s vision, stating, “We are following up on the preparation plan with the technical staff led by Hossam Hassan. We support the staff with everything we have and we will provide them with everything they want before the World Cup.”
Reflecting on Egypt’s recent African Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, where the team finished fourth, Abu Rida expressed appreciation for the head coach’s efforts.
“I thank Hossam Hassan for the performance, and if it weren’t for the fatigue and the limited time before facing Senegal, it would have been possible for Egypt to be in the final,” he noted.
National team head coach Hossam Hassan also addressed the media, thanking the Egyptian Football Association and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for their continued support. He expressed satisfaction with Egypt’s showing at the tournament, pointing out the challenges faced by all teams.
“Everyone saw how difficult the tournament was, even for Morocco, the host team. We succeeded in qualifying for the World Cup without a defeat and with a 5-point lead over strong teams that have more professionals than our team, and we participated in the most difficult edition of the African Cup of Nations with a squad dominated by local players, and we performed brilliantly despite the pessimism before the tournament,” Hassan said.
