The Egyptian Football Association rejected an offer for the national team to play two friendly matches against South Korea and Japan in November as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations. The coaching staff led by Hossam Hassan preferred not to travel long distances and opted for internal camps or matches against African teams suitable for the current phase, as the Pharaohs prepare for the tournament scheduled to be held in Morocco at the end of this year. It was learned that the offer included the Football Association receiving one million dollars in addition to travel tickets, transfers, and accommodation, with each match to be played in the home country of the respective teams. The coaching staff set September 1 as the final date to start the national team camp in preparation for matches against Ethiopia and Burkina Faso in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association received an official letter from FIFA setting the dates for the national team’s matches against Ethiopia and Burkina Faso in the seventh and eighth rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The match against Ethiopia will be held on September 5, while the match against Burkina Faso will take place in the capital Ouagadougou on September 9.