Led Rui Vitoria, Egypt are again one of the contenders for the Africa Cup of Nations title at AFCON 2024. In this article, we'll provide all the information about their group opponents, schedule and squad.
For the record, this year's competition is officially named AFCON 2023 since it was initially scheduled to take place last year but was postponed until January-February 2024.
Egypt AFCON 2024 schedule
Egypt are in Group B alongside Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde. The Pharaohs will play their three group games at the Stade Felix-Houphouet-Boigny (45 000 capacity) located in Abidjan, in Ivory Coast.
- 14 January, 6pm : Egypt – Mozambique, Stadium Felix-Houphouet-Boigny
- 18 January, pm: Egypt – Ghana, Stadium Felix-Houphouet-Boigny
- 22 January, 9pm: Cape Verde – Egypt, Stadium Felix-Houphouet-Boigny
How Egypt qualified for the AFCON 2024
In Group D qualifications for the African Cup of Nations 2024, Egypt finished tops with 15 points – a very satisfying record of five wins for one defeat.
- Day 1: Egypt-Guinea (1-0)
- Day 2: Ethiopia-Egypt (2-0)
- Day 3: Egypt-Malawi (2-0)
- Day 4: Malawi-Egypt (0-4)
- Day 5: Guinea-Egypt (1-2)
- Day 6: Egypt-Ethiopia (1-0)
Egypt's last ten matches before AFCON 2024
- Sierra Leone-Egypt (0-2) – World Cup Qualifiers 2026
- Egypt-Djibouti (6-0) – World Cup 2026 Qualifiers
- Egypt-Algeria (1-1) – Friendly
- Egypt-Zambia (1-0) – Friendly
- Egypt-Tunisia (1-3) – Friendly
- Egypt-Ethiopia (1-0) – Qualifiers CAN 2023
- Egypt-South Sudan (3-0) – Friendly
- Guinea-Egypt (1-2) – Qualifiers CAN 2023
- Malawi-Egypt (0-4) – Qualifiers CAN 2023
- Egypt-Malawi (2-0) – Qualifiers CAN 2023
Egypt: 14 years later?
With their record seven titles, the national team of Egypt is undeniably one of the heavyweights of African football even though the Pharaohs have not won the African Cup nations since 2010—14 years ago.
Finalists in 2017 and 2022, the team, led by Mohamed Salah however, have not done well in recent times including their failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. The Pharaohs will aim to get back at the top of the African game under Rui Vitoria but will have it tough against the likes of Senegal, Morocco, Algeria and others
Egypt team coach: Rui Vitoria
Rui Vitoria (53-year-old), a former Portuguese midfielder, started coaching in his country (Pacos de Ferreira, Vitoria Guimaraes, Benfica) before going to train Al-Nassr, the current club of Sadio Mane in Saudi Arabia, then Spartak Moscow and Egyptian national team, which he took over in July 2022.
With 11 wins, one draw and one defeat, the 2019 champion of the Saudi Arabia League has not done badly at all. But like any coach, the main competitions are the ones that count and AFCON 2024 is one of those.
Player to watch: Omar Marmoush
Omar Marmoush is still young (24 years old), but very talented. The striker has been the main man for Eintracht Frankfurt since the transfer of Randal Kolo Muani to Paris-Saint-Germain this summer.
He has an impressive haul this term in the Bundesliga (14 games, seven goals). The Cairo native has however not been his best in the Egyptian shirt since his debut in 2021 with just three goals from 16 caps but will look to explode in Ivory Coast to lead Egypt to success.
Beyond his finishing skills, Marmoush has undeniable dribbling qualities and versatility in the front of attack and is able to play on the left or right –something coach Rui Vitoria appreciates.
Egypt's AFCON 2024 preparation
Egypt faced and defeated Tanzania 2-0 on January 7 for preparation. This is the only available information in their preparation for the AFCON
Egypt AFCON 2024 squad
- GK: Mohamed El-Shennawy (Ahly)
- GK: Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek)
- GK: Ahmed El-Shennawy (Pyramids)
- GK: Mohamed Abou Gabal (NBE Club)
- DF: Ahmed Hegazi (Al-Ittihad)
- DF: Mohamed Abdelmonem (Ahly)
- DF: Mohamed Hani (Ahly)
- DF: Ali Gabr (Pyramids)
- DF: Osama Galal (Pyramids)
- DF: Ahmed Sami (Pyramids)
- DF: Mohamed Hamdi (Pyramids)
- DF: Omar Kamal (Modern Future)
- DF: Ahmed Fattouh (Zamalek)
- MF: Emam Ashour (Ahly)
- MF: Ahmed Nabil Koka (Ahly)
- MF: Marwan Attia (Ahly)
- MF: Hamdi Fathi (Al-Wakrah)
- MF: Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal)
- MF: Zizo (Zamalek)
- MF: Mahmoud Hamada (Masry)
- FW: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
- FW: Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids)
- FW: Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- FW: Trezeguet (Trabzonspor)
- FW: Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes)
- FW: Kahraba (Ahly)
- FW: Kouka (Pendikspor)
