Head coach Hossam Hassan is preparing a 25-man squad for the matches against Malawi in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al-Riyadh) is expected to return, while goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al Ahly) is edging closer to a national team comeback.
Egypt are stepping up their preparations. According to Maspero, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has settled on a 25-man squad for the November camp, which is meant to take the Egyptians into their two meetings with Malawi in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. The start date of the camp remains uncertain: 8 November according to Maspero, 9 November according to Cairo24.
The shape of the squad is taking form. Mahmoud Trezeguet, back from injury and impressing with Al-Riyadh, is expected to make his return, according to Maspero. Goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al Ahly), also close to a national team return according to Cairo24 and El Balad, benefited from mediation by Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abou Rida to ease tensions with the staff. Hamdi Fathi (Al-Wakrah, Qatar), by contrast, remains absent: his recovery from nose surgery is not yet complete, according to El Aosboa.
Suspensions weighing on the staff
The squad will also have to cope with several suspensions. Mustafa Ziko (Pyramids) has been banned for five matches by FIFA following the incidents in the Egypt-Argentina match (3-2) in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. To replace him, the staff are looking at a return for Nasser Maher, according to Youm7.
FIFA has also handed head coach Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan three-match bans. The Egyptian Football Association has decided to appeal, but the three men will miss the matches against Malawi, according to FilGoal. The appeal hearing is still to come.
Hossam Hassan also addressed El-Shenawy’s situation, in comments reported by Yallakora: “Mohamed El-Shenawy, at one point, was finished, he wasn’t playing with his club, and yet he came back to his level thanks to the national team.”
A preliminary list of nine professionals
According to Ahram Gate, a preliminary list of nine professionals has been drawn up: Mohamed Abdelmonem (Nice), Hossam Abdelmadjid (Ludogorets), Rami Rabia (Al-Ain), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjælland), Haitham Hassan (Celtic), Omar Marmoush (Tottenham), Hamza Abdel Karim (Barcelona), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al-Riyadh) and Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor).
Younes Ibrahim, the Brighton midfielder, by contrast, is not in the staff’s plans for this camp, according to Cairo24. The final make-up of the 25-man squad is still to be confirmed.
Malawi, then Bingu
The schedule is now set. Egypt will host Malawi on 13 November 2026 at Cairo Stadium (21:00 local time), with Mauritanian referee Abdel Aziz Bouh in charge. Four days later, on 17 November, the Egyptians will travel to Bingu Stadium (15:00 local time), with Ugandan referee Lucky Razak Kasali officiating.
In the previous camp, the Egyptians drew 0-0 with Angola, beat South Sudan 5-0, then lost 1-0 in a friendly against South Africa, according to Sout Al Oumma.