Egypt is preparing to launch an ambitious football development programme aimed at identifying young talent across the country and expanding the recruitment of dual-national players, following the national team’s progress to the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The initiative was outlined by Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Gawhar Nabil, who said the plans reflect the vision discussed during President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s celebration of the national team’s World Cup campaign.
According to Nabil, the project will focus on developing home-grown players while also strengthening efforts to identify Egyptian footballers eligible to represent the country through dual nationality.
Government Backs Long-Term Football Development
Speaking to Sada El Balad TV, Nabil praised the President’s recognition of the national team’s achievement and highlighted the importance of building future success around local talent.
He said: “President Sisi stressed the importance of relying on national talent in leading national teams and clubs, and he will work on developing these talents.”
The minister added that continued investment in sport would be guided by a structured long-term strategy rather than short-term measures.
According to Nabil: “President Sisi confirmed that there is unlimited support, as the Egyptian state and people love sports, especially football, but the support must be in accordance with a clear plan and vision. There will be a meeting with Hani Abu Rida, the head of the Egyptian Football Association, and all the federations, and it is possible to use foreigners in limited numbers, or in places where there is no local competence.”
The comments indicate that while foreign expertise may continue to play a role in Egyptian sport, the emphasis will remain on strengthening domestic development pathways.
National Talent Project in Preparation
Nabil revealed that a broader sports development strategy is currently being finalised before being presented to President Sisi.
He explained: “There is a project that we are working on very hard regarding sports, especially football, and it will be presented to President Sisi. There is also a talent discovery project that is being applied to some sports, and there is also a national project to discover and adopt young talents, in order to qualify them to play locally or to play professionally abroad.”
The initiative is intended to identify promising players at an early age and provide them with opportunities to progress either within Egyptian football or through professional careers overseas.
Focus on Dual-National Players
A significant element of the programme will involve identifying Egyptian players eligible to represent the national team through dual nationality.
Nabil said the Egyptian Football Association has already established a dedicated committee responsible for monitoring eligible players abroad.
He stated: “The Egyptian Federation has a committee for dual nationality players, in addition to communicating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all embassies to identify Egyptians with dual nationality, follow up on them, and include them in the national team, especially after the success of Haitham Hassan’s experience as a player for the Egyptian national team.”
The approach follows what officials regard as the successful integration of Haitham Hassan into the national team setup.
Nationwide Recruitment and Training Plans
The minister also disclosed that work is underway to identify both dual-national footballers and emerging young players throughout Egypt’s 27 governorates.
He confirmed that another celebration honouring the national team is planned and said players would be recognised during an event scheduled for next Monday at Cairo Stadium.
Further details of the football development strategy were provided by Egyptian Football Association vice-president Khaled El-Darandaly.
He said the national team’s technical staff had already provided opportunities for new players to join the senior squad at the highest level.
El-Darandaly also confirmed that the federation is preparing to unveil a comprehensive development programme during a forthcoming press conference.
The plan includes a nationwide talent identification system, the discovery of promising footballers across Egypt’s governorates and the establishment of eight regional training centres designed to support player development.
Together, the proposals represent a long-term effort to strengthen Egypt’s football structure by combining grassroots talent identification with the recruitment of eligible dual-national players, as the country seeks to build on the momentum generated by its run to the World Cup knockout stages.
