Egypt has qualified for the FIFA World Cup on four occasions: in 1934, where it became the first Middle Eastern and African team to play in the World Cup, 1990, 2018, and 2026. they have produced 5 draws, 6 losses, and 2 wins in the competition, beating New Zealand and Australia via penalties in the knockouts during the 2026 World Cup.
When they qualified for the second time in 1990, they became the team with the longest-ever gap between two FIFA World Cup matches: 56 years and 16 days had passed. This was surpassed in 2022 by the qualification of Wales for the first time in 64 years. They have never qualified consecutively.
FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup recordYearRoundPosition 1930Withdrew due to storm 1934Round of 1613th100124 1938Withdrew 1950Did not enter 1954Did not qualify 1958Withdrew 1962 1966 1970Did not enter 1974Did not qualify 1978 1982 1986 1990Group stage20th302112 1994Did not qualify 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018Group stage31st300326 2022Did not qualify 2026Round of 16 15th 5 1 3 1 8 7 2030To be determined 2034TotalRound of 164/23121561319
Overview of matches Year Round Opponents Score Egypt scorer(s) 1934 Round of 16 2–4 Fawzy (2) 1990 Group F 1–1 Abdelghani 0–0 0–1 2018 Group A 0–1 1–3 Salah 1–2 Salah 2026 Group G 1–1 Ashour 3–1 Ziko, Salah, Trézéguet 1–1 Saber Round of 32 1–1 (4–2 ) Ashour Round of 16 2–3 Ibrahim, Ziko
Uruguay 1930 There was no qualification for the first World Cup. Rather, teams were simply invited. Egypt had started their travel to Uruguay, but a storm delayed their boat to Marseille.
Italy 1934 There was no Group stage. The first round was the Round of 16.
First round
GK Antal SzabóDF Gyula FutóDF László Sternberg (c)DF István PalotásMF György SzűcsMF Gyula LázárMF Gábor SzabóMF Imre MarkosFW Jenő VinczeFW Pál TelekiFW Géza ToldiManager:Ödön Nádas GK 1 Mustafa MansourSW 3 Abdelhamid Ibrahim SharliDF 4 Hassan El-FarDF 5 Ismail RafaatDF 2 Ali El-KafMF 6Hassan RaghabFW 7 Mohamed LatifFW 8 Abdulrahman FawziFW 11Mohamed HassanFW 9 Mahmoud Mokhtar El Tetsh (c)FW 10Mostafa TahaJimmy McCrae
Italy 1990 Group stage Group F
Group F, featured the Netherlands, England, the Republic of Ireland and Egypt. In the six group games, five ended in draws. England beat Egypt 1–0, thanks to a 58th-minute goal from Mark Wright – and that was enough to win the group. Team312021+143030220330302203302112−12
The Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands finished with identical records. With both teams assured of progressing, they were split by the drawing of lots to determine second and third place.
GK 1 Hans van BreukelenDF 2 Berry van AerleDF 5 Adri van TiggelenDF 4 Ronald KoemanMF 13Graeme RutjesMF 3 Frank RijkaardMF 6 Jan WoutersMF 7 Erwin Koeman FW 8 Gerald Vanenburg FW 9 Marco van BastenFW 10Ruud Gullit (c)Substitutes:MF 11Richard Witschge FW 12Wim Kieft FW 14John van't SchipGK 16Joop HieleMF 20Aron WinterManager:Leo Beenhakker GK 1 Ahmed ShobairSW 3 Rabie YassinDF 4 Hany RamzyDF 5 Hesham YakanMF 2 Ibrahim HassanMF 20Ahmed El-KassMF 7 Ismail YoussefMF 8 Magdi AbdelghaniMF 13Ahmed Ramzy FW 9 Hossam HassanFW 10Gamal Abdelhamid (c) Substitutes:DF 15Saber EidMF 16Magdy Tolba MF 18Osama OrabiFW 19Adel Abdelrahman GK 21Ayman TaherManager:Mahmoud El-Gohary Assistant referees: Edgardo Codesal (Mexico) Juan Daniel Cardellino (Uruguay)
GK 1 Packie BonnerRB 2 Chris Morris CB 4 Mick McCarthy (c)CB 5 Kevin MoranLB 3 Steve StauntonMF 8 Ray HoughtonMF 7 Paul McGrathMF 13Andy TownsendMF 11Kevin SheedyFW 9 John Aldridge FW 10Tony Cascarino Substitutions:DF 12David O'LearyMF 14Chris HughtonFW 17Niall Quinn MF 21Alan McLoughlin GK 22Gerry PeytonManager: Jack Charlton GK 1 Ahmed Shobair DF 2 Ibrahim HassanDF 5 Hesham YakanDF 4 Hany RamzyDF 3 Rabie YassinMF 18Osama OrabiMF 7 Ismail YoussefMF 8 Magdi Abdelghani (c)MF 16Magdy Tolba FW 20Ahmed El-Kass FW 9 Hossam HassanSubstitutions:MF 10Gamal Abdelhamid FW 12Taher Abouzeid DF 15Saber EidFW 19Adel AbdelrahmanGK 21Ayman TaherManager:Mahmoud El-Gohary Assistant referees: Joël Quiniou (France) Rosario Lo Bello (Italy)
GK 1 Peter Shilton (c)LB 3 Stuart PearceCB 5 Des WalkerCB 14Mark WrightRB 12Paul ParkerRW 8 Chris Waddle CM 16Steve McMahonCM 19Paul GascoigneLW 11John BarnesFW 21Steve Bull FW 10Gary LinekerSubstitutes:MF 4 Neil WebbDF 6 Terry ButcherFW 9 Peter Beardsley GK 13Chris WoodsMF 17David Platt Manager:Bobby Robson GK 1 Ahmed ShobairSW 4 Hany RamzyDF 2 Ibrahim Hassan DF 5 Hesham YakanDF 7 Ismail YoussefDF 3 Rabie YassinMF 20Ahmed El-Kass MF 8 Magdi Abdelghani MF 10Gamal Abdelhamid (c) MF 13Ahmed RamzyFW 9 Hossam HassanSubstitutes:FW 11Tarek Soliman DF 15Saber EidMF 18Osama OrabiFW 19Adel Abdelrahman GK 21Ayman TaherManager:Mahmoud El-Gohary Assistant referees: Berny Ulloa Morera (Costa Rica) Edgardo Codesal (Mexico)
Russia 2018 Group stage Group A
GK 23Mohamed El ShenawyRB 7 Ahmed Fathy (c)CB 2 Ali GabrCB 6 Ahmed Hegazi LB 13Mohamed Abdel ShafyCM 8 Tarek Hamed CM 17Mohamed ElnenyRW 22Amr Warda AM 19Abdallah SaidLW 21TrézéguetCF 9 Marwan Mohsen Substitutions:MF 5 Sam Morsy FW 11Kahraba FW 14Ramadan Sobhi Manager: Héctor Cúper GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 4 Guillermo VarelaCB 2 José GiménezCB 3 Diego Godín (c)LB 22Martín CáceresRM 8 Nahitan Nández CM 15Matías Vecino CM 6 Rodrigo BentancurLM 10Giorgian De Arrascaeta CF 9 Luis SuárezCF 21Edinson CavaniSubstitutions:MF 5 Carlos Sánchez MF 7 Cristian Rodríguez MF 14Lucas Torreira Manager:Óscar Tabárez
Man of the Match: Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt)
Assistant referees: Sander van Roekel (Netherlands) Erwin Zeinstra (Netherlands) Fourth official: Milorad Mažić (Serbia) Reserve assistant referee: Milovan Ristić (Serbia) Video assistant referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands) Assistant video assistant referees: Paweł Gil (Poland) Cyril Gringore (France) Clément Turpin (France)
Russia vs Egypt
GK 1 Igor Akinfeev (c)RB 2 Mário FernandesCB 3 Ilya KutepovCB 4 Sergei IgnashevichLB 18Yuri Zhirkov CM 11Roman ZobninCM 8 Yury GazinskyRW 19Aleksandr SamedovAM 17Aleksandr GolovinLW 6 Denis Cheryshev CF 22Artem Dzyuba Substitutions:MF 7 Daler Kuzyayev FW 10Fyodor Smolov DF 13Fyodor Kudryashov Manager:Stanislav Cherchesov GK 23Mohamed El ShenawyRB 7 Ahmed Fathy (c)CB 2 Ali GabrCB 6 Ahmed HegaziLB 13Mohamed Abdel ShafyCM 8 Tarek HamedCM 17Mohamed Elneny RW 10Mohamed SalahAM 19Abdallah SaidLW 21Trézéguet CF 9 Marwan Mohsen Substitutions:FW 22Amr Warda FW 14Ramadan Sobhi FW 11Kahraba Manager: Héctor Cúper
Man of the Match: Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
Assistant referees: Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay) Juan Zorrilla (Paraguay) Fourth official: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) Reserve assistant referee: Bahattin Duran (Turkey) Video assistant referee: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) Assistant video assistant referees: Mauro Vigliano (Argentina) Carlos Astroza (Chile) Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt
GK 21Yasser Al-MosailemRB 6 Mohammed Al-BreikCB 3 Osama Hawsawi (c)CB 23Motaz HawsawiLB 13Yasser Al-ShahraniDM 14Abdullah OtayfCM 7 Salman Al-FarajCM 16Housain Al-MogahwiRW 9 Hattan Bahebri LW 18Salem Al-DawsariCF 19Fahad Al-Muwallad Substitutions:FW 20Muhannad Assiri MF 8 Yahya Al-Shehri Manager: Juan Antonio Pizzi GK 1 Essam El Hadary (c)RB 7 Ahmed Fathy CB 2 Ali Gabr CB 6 Ahmed HegaziLB 13Mohamed Abdel ShafyCM 17Mohamed ElnenyCM 8 Tarek HamedRW 10Mohamed SalahAM 19Abdallah Said LW 21Trézéguet CF 9 Marwan Mohsen Substitutions:FW 22Amr Warda FW 14Ramadan Sobhi FW 11Kahraba Manager: Héctor Cúper
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Assistant referees: Alexander Guzmán (Colombia) Cristian de la Cruz (Colombia) Fourth official: Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica) Reserve assistant referee: Hiroshi Yamauchi (Japan) Video assistant referee: Artur Soares Dias (Portugal) Assistant video assistant referees: Tiago Martins (Portugal) Carlos Astroza (Chile) Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)
United States/Canada/Mexico 2026
Group stage
Man of the Match: Emam Ashour (Egypt)
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Man of the Match: Ramin Rezaeian (Iran) Egypt finished as Group G runners-up on goal difference behind Belgium, advancing out of the group stage for the first time and earning a round of 32 meeting with Australia.
Knockout stage
Round of 32
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Egypt) Round of 16
Man of the Match: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Player records
Records On 25 June 2018, Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary notably became the oldest player ever to appear in a World Cup match, at the age of 45 years and 5 months. He saved a penalty in the first half of the match against Saudi Arabia, but Egypt would still ultimately lose 2–1.
Mohamed Hany is the player with the most own goals scored in the World Cup. He scored an own goal against Belgium and then Australia respectively in 2026. Another record in 2026 achieved was Egyptian goalkeeper Mustafa Shobeir saving 2 penalities, the most for any goalkeeper, although tied with many others.
Most appearances Before their 2026 participation, no Egyptian player had ever taken part in one more than one World Cup tournament. The team of 1934 was only able to play one match because of a different tournament format.
RankPlayerMatchesWorld Cups1Mohamed Salah72018 and 2026Trézéguet72018 and 20263Emam Ashour52026Marwan Attia52026Mohamed Hany52026Yasser Ibrahim52026Omar Marmoush52026Ramy Rabia52026Mostafa Shobeir52026Mostafa Ziko5202611Hamza Abdelkarim4202612Magdi Abdelghani31990Gamal Abdelhamid31990Ahmed El-Kass31990Hossam Hassan31990Ibrahim Hassan31990Hany Ramzy31990Ahmed Shobair31990Hesham Yakan31990Rabie Yassin31990Ismail Youssef31990Mohamed Abdel Shafy32018Mohamed Elneny32018Ahmed Fathy32018Ali Gabr32018Tarek Hamed32018Ahmed Hegazi32018Kahraba32018Marwan Mohsen32018Abdallah Said32018Ramadan Sobhi32018Amr Warda32018Hamdy Fathy32026Ahmed Fatouh32026Mohanad Lasheen32026Zizo32026 -->
Goalscorers
With a brace on 27 May 1934 in Egypt's first-ever World Cup match (a 2–4 defeat against Hungary in Naples), Abdulrahman Fawzi became the only African goalscorer at a FIFA World Cup finals for decades, until Houmane Jarir scored for Morocco in 1970. It took until 2026 for another Egyptian, Mohamed Salah, to exceed Fawzi's tally.
Player Goals 1934 1990 2018 2026 Mohamed Salah 3 21 Abdulrahman Fawzi 22 Emam Ashour 2 2 Mostafa Ziko 2 2 Magdi Abdelghani 11 Yasser Ibrahim 1 1 Mahmoud Saber 1 1 Trézéguet 1 1 Total 13 2 1 2 8
See also African nations at the FIFA World Cup Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations
References
Reports
External links Profile at FIFA.com World Cup Finals Record at FIFA.com Highlights 1990 FIFA World Cup