Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan had represented the country in the 1990 World Cup. | Photo Credit: AP

Egypt will kick off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Belgium at the Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington on Monday, June 15, 2026.

The North African nation will be led by captain Mohamed Salah and head coach Hossam Hassan.

Hossam Hassan brings stature, emotion and a deep connection with Egyptian football. One of the country’s greatest players, he has tried to give the national team more directness and personality. His challenge will be to keep Egypt compact without reducing the attacking threat around Salah and Omar Marmoush.

Hossam Hassan record as manager:

• Total matches: 469
• Wins: 205
• Draws: 153
• Losses: 111
• Win percentage: 43.71

Hossam Hassan record as Egypt manager:

• Total matches: 31
• Wins: 21
• Draws: 6
• Losses: 4
• Win percentage: 67.74

What did Hossam Hassan say ahead of the game against Belgium?

Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan sees the opening match in ​the World Cup against Belgium as the most ‌difficult game in the “highly competitive” group ​G.

“The opening match against Belgium at the World ‌Cup will be extremely difficult, and the group is strong and highly competitive,” Hassan, who competed in the World Cup as a player in 1990, said.

He also provided an update on star player Salah who played the second half of a friendly against Brazil. ““Salah underwent a rehabilitation programme with Liverpool and then with the national team, and he is ‌now ready for matches,” Hassan said.

Published on Jun 15, 2026