World Cup 2026: Egypt lose midfielder Mohanad Lasheen to suspension ahead of Australia showdown

FIFA has confirmed the suspension of Egyptian midfielder Mohanad Lasheen ahead of their crucial Round of 32 encounter against Australia at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Pharaohs are preparing for a difficult knockout clash against Australia as they aim to continue their impressive campaign and secure a place in the Round of 16, but they will now be forced to cope without one of their key midfield performers.

Lasheen has been one of Egypt’s standout players during the tournament, playing an important role in the team’s midfield balance and defensive organization throughout the group stage.

FIFA released the official list of suspended players for next Friday’s World Cup fixtures, with Mohannad Lasheen being the only Egyptian player included.

According to the tournament regulations, yellow cards accumulated during the group stage are cleared after the completion of the first round, provided a player has not received a second booking during the three group matches.

Lasheen picked up his second yellow card of the tournament during Egypt’s final group-stage match against Iran. The booking came in the second minute of stoppage time after he had already been cautioned earlier in the competition against New Zealand.

The Egyptian Football Association reportedly attempted to contest the yellow card shown to the midfielder during the Iran game, arguing that the decision was questionable. However, FIFA upheld the referee’s decision and confirmed the suspension, ruling the player out of the knockout encounter.

The absence of Lasheen is expected to be a significant blow for Egypt, especially given his influence in midfield and his strong performances during the tournament so far.

Egypt may also be without another important player, with Ahmed Fatouh expected to miss the match due to injury concerns, adding to the selection problems facing the Pharaohs ahead of the high-stakes contest.

Despite the setbacks, Egypt remain determined to progress further in the World Cup after successfully reaching the knockout stages with a series of disciplined performances during the group phase.

The highly anticipated clash between Egypt and Australia is scheduled to take place on Friday at Arlington Stadium in Texas.