Egypt’s AFCON pain to spur World Cup bid as Nigeria bronze medal game looms

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by News Agencies,Kevin HandJanuary 16, 2026 at 01:13 PM

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Egypt's coach, Hossam Hassan, views their AFCON 2025 experience, despite not reaching the final, as valuable preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Egypt lost to Senegal in the semi-final and will play Nigeria for the bronze medal in Morocco. Hassan highlighted the team's experimentation with different systems and exposure to diverse opponents as beneficial. He also noted that a lack of European-based players, unlike finalists Morocco and Senegal, may have hindered their progress. Egypt will compete in Group G of the World Cup, facing Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran in June 2026. Hassan believes the Nigeria match will provide further preparation for the World Cup.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Liverpool 30% Belgium 40% Iran 40% New Zealand 40% Morocco ×250% Mohamed Salah 50% Senegal ×260% Hossam Hassan ×270% Nigeria ×270% FIFA World Cup 2026 ×280% Africa Cup of Nations ×280% Egypt ×890%

Keywords

egypt 100% world cup bid 90% afcon 80% bronze medal game 70% fifa world cup 2026 70% european players 60% nigeria 60% hossam hassan 60% senegal 50% tactical acumen 40%