Hossam Hassan warns of World Cup challenge as Egypt target historic breakthrough

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has described the road to the World Cup as “complicated” and the tournament itself as an even tougher stage, as he reflected on his team’s ambitions ahead of the global showpiece.

Speaking to reporters in Cairo, the former Egypt international struck a measured tone while acknowledging both the difficulty of qualification and the expectations carried by one of Africa’s most storied football nations.

“Reaching the World Cup is complicated and playing there is even harder,” Egypt coach and former star Hossam Hassan told reporters in Cairo.

“However, I see great ambition in my players. They want to achieve more than what Egypt did in the past.”

Egypt’s World Cup history remains limited despite their dominance on the continent. The North African giants first appeared at the tournament 92 years ago and have since made only two additional appearances.

Even with seven Africa Cup of Nations titles to their name, Egypt are still searching for their first-ever victory on football’s biggest stage.

The challenge, however, is set against a broader wave of African optimism. The continent will be represented at the upcoming expanded World Cup by Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.

The new 48-team format is widely expected to open doors for African nations, increasing both representation and opportunity. Analysts believe the expansion could help teams from the continent translate their growing international experience into deeper runs and, potentially, historic breakthroughs.

For Egypt, the task is clear: turn pedigree into progress and finally deliver a first World Cup win that has eluded them across generations.