Egypt celebrate World Cup qualification with narrow win over Guinea-Bissau

Egypt marked their return to the FIFA World Cup with a 1–0 victory over Guinea-Bissau, in a festive night at Cairo International Stadium that turned into a national celebration.

The match, played on Sunday evening in front of a packed home crowd, was Egypt’s final fixture in the 2026 African World Cup Qualifiers. The Pharaohs had already secured their place in the tournament, but the night was about giving fans one more reason to celebrate.

Left-back Mohamed Hamdy scored the only goal of the game in the 10th minute, heading home a precise cross from Ahmed Nabil “Koka”. From that moment, the atmosphere inside Cairo Stadium transformed into one of pure joy, as chants and songs echoed across the stands.

The match carried more of a celebratory tone than a competitive edge, with Egypt’s stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush watching from the stands alongside other absentees. The focus was on the achievement itself — qualification to the World Cup for the fourth time in history, following appearances in 1934, 1990, and 2018.

With the result, Egypt finished their qualifying campaign unbeaten, collecting 26 points from 10 matches — eight wins and two draws — to top Group A comfortably.

After the final whistle, the Cairo International Stadium erupted in celebration. The night was not just about a win — it was about the return of a dream and the promise of another World Cup adventure in 2026.

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