Day: May 27, 2026

Mohamed Salah and Marmoush headline Egypt's preliminary World Cup picks
by Football Sierra Leone

Mohamed Salah and Marmoush headline Egypt’s preliminary World Cup picks

Stars Salah, Marmoush and El Shenawy are among a 27-strong FIFA World Cup preliminary squad named by Egypt coach Hossam Hassan.

Ahead of the nation’s final training camp this month, the Egyptian Football Association has announced a preliminary 27-player squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

Head coach Hossam Hassan’s selection is highlighted by a core group of ever-present stars, including Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, Al Ahly’s Trezeguet and Nice’s Mohamed Abdelmonem.

The squad also contained some surprises, most notably the absence of Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed, as well as the omission of Zamalek players Mohamed Shehata and Nasser Mansi

Egypt’s preliminary World Cup 2026 squad
Goalkeepers

Mohamed Alaa Mohamed El Shenawy Mostafa Shobeir El Mahdy Soliman

Defenders

Hossam Abdelmagid Mohamed Abdelmonem Tarek Alaa Ahmed Fatouh Karim Hafez Mohamed Hany Yasser Ibrahim Rami Rabia

Midfielders

Emam Ashour Marwan Attia Nabil Emad Hamdi Fathi Haitham Hassan Mohannad Lashin Mahmoud Saber Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” Mostafa Zico Ahmed Sayed “Zizo”

Forwards

Aqtay Abdullah Hamza Abdulkarim Ibrahim Adel Omar Marmoush Mohamed Salah

All squads are provisional until the final list of 26 players is announced by FIFA, following the submission by participating teams, on June 2.

Five debutants in line to feature for the Pharaohs

While all the nation’s big names are present in Egypt’s preliminary list, coach Hossam Hassan has also named five potential debutants among his selection, including highly-rated teenage forward Hamza Abdelkareem, who is on loan at Barcelona B, as well as ENPPI forward ​​Aqtay Abdullah.

The squad, spearheaded by Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, will play a pair of warm-up matches against Russia on May 28th and then Brazil a week later.

Egypt’s World Cup 2026 fixtures and group
Ghana named a 28-man preliminary squad for the World Cup
by Football Sierra Leone

Ghana named a 28-man preliminary squad for the World Cup

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is in Ghana’s 28-man preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup, despite facing seven charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault from incidents involving four women between 2020 and 2022.

Ghana’s coach, Carlos Queiroz, included Partey in a 28-man squad for a training camp and friendly against Wales on June 2. The squad will be cut to 26 before the World Cup. The 32-year-old, currently with Villarreal, will stand trial next year.

Notable players in the squad include Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo, Coventry striker Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Leicester’s Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu. Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus is absent due to a quad injury.

Ghana’s World Cup campaign kicks off in Group L against Panama on June 17, with matches against England and Croatia to follow.

Ghana’s preliminary World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Joseph Anang (St Patrick’s Athletic), Solomon Agbasi (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Paul Reverson (Ajax).

Defenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Oppong Peprah (Nice), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre).

Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City).

Forwards: Kamal Deen Sulemana (Atalanta), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City).

Sadio Mane to lead Senegal's World Cup squad
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sadio Mane to lead Senegal’s World Cup squad

Sadio Mane, the nation’s top scorer, is set to return to the global stage after missing the 2022 World Cup due to injury.

The Al-Nassr forward has been named in Senegal’s 28-man squad for this summer’s World Cup. Mane was part of the squad in Qatar but couldn’t participate because of a knee injury.

He was also on the pitch during January’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final when Morocco received a stoppage-time penalty.

Premier League stars Habib Diarra, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Ismaila Sarr, Mamadou Sarr, Pape Matar Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye have also been included.

Teenagers Ibrahim Mbaye and Bara Ndiaye, who play for Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, respectively, will also travel to North America.

As part of its preparation, Senegal will play two friendly matches: the first on May 31 against the United States soccer team, and the second on June 9 against the Saudi Arabian national football team. A crucial phase before approaching the World Cup with ambition.

Senegal World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre).

Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), El-Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray).

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich).

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace).

All quads are provisional until the final list of 26 players is announced by FIFA, following their submission by participating teams, on 2 June.

Senegal’s World Cup 2026 fixtures and group
Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Díaz are among key players in Morocco's FIFA World Cup squad
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Díaz are among key players in Morocco’s FIFA World Cup squad

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has named Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is uncapped at the national level, in his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Morocco’s squad features several Premier League players and will be led by Hakimi and Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz. Notably, Youssef En-Nesyri and Hakim Ziyech are absent from the team that reached the semifinals in 2022, though fans will be pleased to see Achraf Hakimi included.

Bouaddi, a France U-21 international, received FIFA approval to switch nationalities earlier this year. He replaces players like Imran Louza and Oussama Targhalline in a strong midfield lineup.

While experienced players En-Nesyri and Ziyech missed out, Fulham’s Issa Diop is included after choosing Morocco over Senegal.

Morocco’s World Cup journey begins against Brazil on June 13, followed by matches against Scotland on June 19 and Haiti on June 24.

  • The Completed Morocco World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal), Munir El Kajoui (Berkane), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Asfar)

Defenders: Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly), Issa Diop (Fulham), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Redouane Halhal (KV Mechelen), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV, on loan from Roma)

Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Ismael Saibari (PSV)

Forwards: Ayoube Amaimouni (Eintracht Frankfurt), Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos), Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Yassine Gessime (Strasbourg), Soufiane Rahimi (Al-Ain), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland)