Egypt to play Spain in a pre-World Cup friendly on March 31

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has confirmed that the national team will travel to Spain later this month to participate in an international friendly match against the Spanish national team.

The announcement comes after the Spanish Football Federation extended an official invitation to arrange the encounter, which has been accepted by Hossam Hassan, the head coach of the Egyptian national team.

According to the EFA, the friendly is scheduled for March 31 in Spain, providing the Egyptian squad with an important opportunity to test its preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Hossam Hassan, the coach of the Egyptian national team, has agreed to the offer that arrived yesterday to the Football Association from the Spanish Federation to hold a friendly match between the two teams on March 31 in Spain,” the EFA said in a statement.

The association stated that discussions are ongoing to finalize travel arrangements, logistics, and all necessary administrative procedures to ensure the team’s smooth arrival and participation.

This development follows an earlier cancellation by the Qatari national team, which had initially been set to host a friendly tournament in March but later withdrew due to unforeseen circumstances.

The change has prompted the EFA to secure alternative fixtures to maintain the national team’s match rhythm and competitive readiness.

Prior to the Spain friendly, Egypt is slated to face Saudi Arabia in an official match on March 27 in Jeddah.

These consecutive fixtures are seen as vital for evaluating the squad, experimenting with tactical approaches, and giving players international exposure against top-tier opponents.

Both the Egyptian and Spanish national teams are using these preparatory matches as part of their broader build-up to the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico during the summer.

With the tournament fast approaching, the Egyptian Football Association emphasized the importance of high-quality international friendlies to gauge performance levels, strengthen team cohesion, and fine-tune strategies under competitive conditions.