The Egyptian national team departed for Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on a private plane on Sunday, September 27, 2026. The team will face South Sudan in the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday. Egypt's team is led by coach Hossam Hassan and is seeking to secure a win in the match. The team had trained at a synthetic turf field at the Cairo Military Stadium before departing.
A total of 23 players participated in the training session, including goalkeepers Mustafa Shobier and El Mahdy Soliman. Defenders such as Mohamed Hani, Tarik El Solh, and Rami Rabia were also present. Midfielders like Marwan Attia, Emad Ashour, and Ahmed Sayed "Zizo" took part in the session. Forwards including Omar Marmoush, Mostafa Abd al-Ra'ouf "Ziko", and Hamza Abd al-Karim were also in attendance.
Egypt's team manager, Ibrahim Hassan, announced that defender Mohamed Abdel Monem would not be joining the team for the match against South Sudan. Abdel Monem recently underwent surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament and the medical team advised against playing on synthetic turf. This follows the earlier announcement that Mohamed Salah would also be missing from the team due to the same reason.
The decision to rest Salah was made by coach Hossam Hassan and the team's management to prioritize the player's health. Salah had also missed a match against Mauritania in 2024 due to concerns about the synthetic turf. In his place, Osama Faisal has been called up to the team. Faisal participated in the training session, marking his first appearance with the national team.
Egypt's first match in the qualifiers ended in a goalless draw against Angola. The team currently stands second in Group Two, behind leaders Malawi who won against South Sudan 2-1. Egypt will also play a friendly match against South Africa on October 4, 2026, as part of their preparations.
The team's training session was held at the Cairo Military Stadium's synthetic turf field, which is similar to the surface they will face in Juba. Coach Hossam Hassan and his staff are focused on preparing the team for the challenging match against South Sudan. The Egyptian team is seeking to secure a positive result in the match.
Egypt's match against South Sudan is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 pm local time. The team will look to build on their previous performances and secure a win in the qualifiers. The team's management has expressed confidence in the players' abilities and is optimistic about their chances in the match.
Key points
- Egypt national team travels to South Sudan for 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
- Mohamed Abdel Monem and Mohamed Salah to miss match due to injury
- Egypt to play friendly match against South Africa on October 4, 2026
