Egypt line up Russia, Brazil friendlies ahead of World Cup

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has confirmed two high-profile international friendlies as part of Egypt national football team preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026.

Egypt will face Russia on 28 May before taking on Brazil on 6 June, in what are expected to be key tests ahead of the global tournament.

The first match against Russia is set to be played in Cairo at the New Administrative Capital Stadium, offering the Pharaohs a chance to fine-tune tactics and assess squad readiness in front of home supporters.

Following that fixture, the team will travel to the United States on 30 May to continue their preparations, before facing Brazil in their final warm-up match.

The friendlies form part of a broader preparation programme as Egypt looks to build momentum and evaluate players ahead of the tournament. The matches are expected to provide a strong test against opponents with different playing styles, helping the coaching staff refine their approach.

Egypt have been drawn in Group G of the World Cup, where they will face Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand.

The tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is set to begin in June, with teams finalising preparations in the weeks leading up to the competition.

For Egypt, the fixtures against Russia and Brazil are seen as crucial opportunities to test their squad against strong international opposition as they aim to make an impact on their return to the World Cup stage.

Daraja Kapoor

Daraja Kapoor is a highly respected football journalist, editor and analyst, known for his compelling storytelling and sharp, data-driven insights into the game. He specialises in match analysis, features, emerging talent coverage and football trends across Africa.He holds a degree in English from the University of Cape Coast and has built a strong reputation in the media industry through his disciplined approach and deep understanding of football.Daraja received his journalistic training at leading news platform Ghanaguardian.com and has worked with some of the most prominent football websites in Ghana, including Footballmadeinghana.com and Ghanasoccernet.com. He also served as Sports Editor of Talysports.com, where he played a key role in shaping editorial direction and content strategy.He is currently the Managing Editor of African.Football, where he leads the platform’s editorial vision, overseeing content production, quality control and the delivery of authoritative African football coverage to a global audience.

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