Published on 6/13/2026
The Egyptian Football Association has resolved the controversy that arose during the last hours regarding the shirts of the national team participating in the 2026 World Cup finals, stressing that all the modifications that occurred to the shirts came in accordance with the regulations organizing the tournament, and that the matter does not represent any crisis or surprise within the Pharaohs’ team camp.
The Egyptian Federation’s clarification came after various media outlets and platforms circulated news about removing the stars that symbolize the team’s continental championships from the players’ shirts before the start of the World Cup competitions, which raised widespread questions among the Egyptian fans.
Read also
list of 2 itemsend of list
Early communication from the International Federation
The Egyptian Football Association explained that the matter did not arise from the moment, but rather dates back to several months ago, when the Football Association received an official notification from the International Federation of Association Football stating that it would not allow the stars of continental championships to be placed on the shirts of the teams participating in the World Cup.
The Federation confirmed in an official statement that this measure is part of the approved regulations for the tournament, and is applied to all teams without exception, indicating that the Egyptian team was fully aware of this decision for a long time.
The statement added that Egyptian Federation officials have made all necessary arrangements in coordination with the competent authorities since the arrival of the official instructions, which means that the matter did not constitute any crisis or confusion before the start of the global tournament.
Technical modifications to the numbers
The required amendments were not limited to removing continental stars only, as the Egyptian Federation indicated that the International Federation also requested that the color of the numbers on the national team’s shirts be modified.
According to the statement, the gold color used in the numbers has been replaced with white, in order to ensure better visibility during matches and television broadcasts.
The Federation confirmed that these amendments are among the usual organizational and technical procedures that precede major tournaments, and that the company responsible for the team’s sportswear has implemented all the required amendments in accordance with the approved regulations.
Preparations for the fourth participation
This clarification comes at a time when the Egyptian national team continues its preparations to compete in the World Cup, as it opens its campaign in the tournament with a strong confrontation against the Belgium national team next Monday.
The Egyptian team is also competing in Group Seven, which also includes the New Zealand and Iranian teams, amid high hopes of achieving a distinguished appearance that will return the Pharaohs to the global competition circle.
The 2026 edition holds special importance for the Egyptian national team, as it is the fourth participation in its history in the World Cup finals after its first appearance in 1934, then its participation in the 1990 edition, before returning again to the tournament in the 2018 edition.
During the current edition, the Egyptian team is looking forward to achieving better results than its previous participations, especially in light of the great ambitions that precede the start of the competitions, and the fans’ desire to see the Pharaohs achieve a strong presence on the global stage.
The Egyptian Federation reassures the fans
Through its official statement, the Egyptian Football Association sought to reassure the fans and confirm that all procedures related to the team’s shirts were carried out in accordance with the tournament regulations and with the prior knowledge of all concerned parties.
He also stressed that the focus within the national team camp is entirely on preparing for the upcoming matches, and that the modifications to the shirts will not have any impact on the team’s preparations or goals during the World Cup competitions.
Thus, the Football Association closed the door to the controversy over the national team’s shirts, stressing that what happened is a usual organizational procedure that all teams participating in the tournament are subject to, awaiting the start of the Pharaohs’ World Cup journey amid great public aspirations to achieve a new achievement for Egyptian football.
