Hossam Hassan excludes Mustafa Mohamed from Egypt's preliminary list for the 2026 World Cup

The technical staff of the Egyptian first football team, under the supervision of technical director Hossam Hassan, announced the preliminary list of the Pharaohs, which includes 27 players, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. The new list sparked a wave of controversy in the Egyptian sports circles due to the exclusion of a number of stars that the fans were looking forward to seeing at the most important football event in the world. Attacker Mustafa Mohammed topped the list of sudden absentees from Hussam's selections Hassan, along with outstanding toy maker Nasser Maher and promising striker Nasser Mansi. The list of excluded midfielders also included Mohammed Shehata and Ahmed Nabil known as "Kuka", in addition to goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Shennawi and young striker Osama Faisal. These exclusions come within the framework of the technical staff's strategy to select the most physically and technically ready elements for the difficult task ahead. Hossam Hassan and his technical staff are scheduled to outline the list The 26-player final following the friendly against Russia, which will be the final test before the final announcement.