Ali Maher names his first Egypt squad for Malawi qualifiers as El-Shenawy returns and Mamdouh earns first call-up
New Egypt head coach Ali Maher has named his first 26-man squad for the two Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers against Malawi, recalling five players and handing a first call-up to Egyptian Premier League top scorer Mahmoud Mamdouh.
The 26-man squad
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mostafa Shobier (Al Ahly), Mohamed Alaa (Ceramica Cleopatra).
Defenders: Mahmoud Hamdy “El-Wensh” (Zamalek), Hossam Abdel-Maguid (Ludogorets, Bulgaria), Rami Rabia (Al Ain, UAE), Mohamed Abdel-Moneim (Nice, France), Mahmoud Marei (Pyramids), Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Karim Hafez (Pyramids), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Tarek Alaa (Zed).
Midfielders: Marwan Attia (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Mahmoud Saber (Pyramids), Mohamed Shehata (Zamalek), Nasser Maher (Pyramids), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” (Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” (Al Ahly), Haitham Hassan (Celtic, Scotland).
Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor, Türkiye), Omar Marmoush (Tottenham, England), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona, Spain), Mahmoud Mamdouh (Modern Sport).
Five return, one debut
The headline changes are the returns of five players: Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, Zamalek defender Mahmoud Hamdy “El-Wensh”, Zamalek midfielder Mohamed Shehata, and the Pyramids pair Nasser Maher and Mahmoud Marei. Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” is also back after the injury that kept him out of the last international window. The surprise of the squad is Mahmoud Mamdouh, the Modern Sport striker and the Egyptian Premier League’s top scorer with eight goals, who earns his first senior call-up.
The notable absentees
Al Ahly midfielder Emam Ashour is left out again for technical reasons, and he has also missed his club’s last four matches. Hamdy Fathy misses out through injury, while Mustafa Ziko is absent after FIFA suspended him for five matches over comments he made following Egypt’s match against Argentina. Mostafa Mohamed remains out of the reckoning, having not featured for Egypt since the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Omar Fayed, who joined the last camp as an injury replacement, and Al Ahly midfielder Ali Mahmoud, who won his first cap in the last window, are also omitted, and goalkeeper Abdelaziz El-Balouti drops out following El-Shenawy’s return.
What is at stake
Egypt top Group B of qualifying with four points, ahead of Angola on goal difference after a goalless draw with Angola and a 5-0 win over South Sudan. Malawi are third with three points, and South Sudan are bottom without a point. Nine of Maher’s 26 play abroad, headlined by captain Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. Maher was appointed on Saturday 7 November, replacing Hossam Hassan, and the Malawi double-header is his first test in charge. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
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