Egypt announce surprise October friendly ahead of AFCON qualifiers

The technical staff of the Egyptian national team, led by head coach Hossam Hassan, has scheduled a friendly match against Tanzania on October 5 in Cairo. The fixture forms part of the Pharaohs’ broader preparation strategy for upcoming continental commitments, centered around the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The mid-autumn friendly follows Egypt’s opening fixtures in the qualifying campaign against Angola and South Sudan. Technical staff intend to leverage the international window to assess player fitness, evaluate tactical sharpness, and integrate fringe talent into the squad dynamic ahead of subsequent qualifying rounds, Pulse Mubasher reported.

Egypt’s preparatory camp is scheduled to assemble on September 17 to gear up for the opening double-header. The Pharaohs will host Angola at Cairo International Stadium on September 25 before traveling to Juba to take on South Sudan at Juba National Stadium on September 29. Managing staff view the away fixture in South Sudan as a crucial early test in their push to secure maximum points at the start of the qualifying process.

Following the September fixtures, Egypt will face Malawi in back-to-back qualifying legs in November 2026, before wrapping up their qualifying campaign in March 2027 with return matches against South Sudan and Angola.

The technical committee views the upcoming fixture against Tanzania as a vital calibration opportunity to finalize the core squad lineup and evaluate match readiness ahead of the tournament proper.