Sisi honors Egypt national football team in El Alamein, awards merit cups after World Cup 2026 run
President Sisi received Egypt’s national football team in El Alamein on July 11, 2026, awarding merit cups and pledging support after their World Cup run.
Strong presidential reception in El Alamein
President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi hosted the Egypt national football team, along with the coaching and administrative staff, at a ceremony in El Alamein on July 11, 2026. The reception was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Youth and Sports Minister Johar Nabil, and Egyptian Football Association president Hani Abou Rida. Presidential spokesman Mohamed El‑Shennawy said Sisi presented merit cups and honorary medals in recognition of the team’s performance and disciplined conduct during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The meeting included a commemorative photograph and a private luncheon where players and officials discussed the campaign and future plans with the president. Sisi used the gathering to congratulate the squad and to underline the symbolic importance of their campaign for the nation. The event conveyed both formal recognition and a public message of national pride following Egypt’s World Cup participation.
President praises discipline and national character
In remarks conveyed by the presidential spokesman, Sisi praised the Egypt national football team for demonstrating high values of discipline, effort, and unity. He said the team’s conduct and level of play reflected the character and talent found across Egyptian society and that the response from fans at home and abroad confirmed broad admiration. Sisi stressed that the team’s performance earned respect even beyond match results, signalling that the conduct of players contributed to a sense of national dignity.
The president emphasized that sport extends beyond wins and losses and highlighted the team’s ability to bring joy to citizens during the World Cup. He described the campaign as the result of sincere work done in the name of Egypt and called for continued commitment to those standards. Sisi also reiterated that public appreciation for the team should translate into sustained institutional backing.
Awards, attendees and official statements
According to the presidential office, each member of the squad and supporting staff received a cup of merit and honorary badges in acknowledgment of their efforts. The ceremony was attended by senior government figures and football officials who joined Sisi in congratulating the players. The presence of the prime minister and the minister of youth and sports underlined the state’s formal endorsement of the team’s achievements.
Spokesman Mohamed El‑Shennawy said the president welcomed the delegation and expressed pride in the team’s achievements, noting the applause from Egyptians, Arab communities and the Egyptian diaspora worldwide. Photographs of the ceremony circulated through official channels, capturing the handshake moments and group portrait taken on the grounds of the Alamein venue. Officials said the awards were intended to recognise both the sporting results and the example set by the squad.
Call for talent scouting and long term development
Sisi used the occasion to call for a more systematic scouting network to identify young talent across the country. He urged the creation of impartial scouting mechanisms to find promising players at grassroots level and promised state readiness to support development programs. The president framed the initiative as necessary to reproduce and extend the recent successes by nurturing successive generations of players.
Government officials present at the reception signalled support for enhanced investment in youth academies, coaching education and infrastructure. The Egyptian Football Association has previously outlined plans to expand talent pathways and the meeting is likely to give fresh impetus to those initiatives. Sisi also stressed the importance of backing the national technical staff to ensure continuity and to build on the tactical and organizational gains seen at the World Cup.
Players’ reactions and commitments after the meeting
Players at the luncheon expressed gratitude for the president’s hospitality and for the national recognition of their campaign. Several squad members told officials they were motivated to keep improving and to repay the public’s confidence through sustained effort and performance. The team’s coaching and administrative staff affirmed their commitment to long term planning and to laying foundations for future competitions.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to transform the momentum from the World Cup into concrete development steps domestically. Players and officials indicated readiness to collaborate with domestic clubs, federations and government bodies to strengthen pathways from youth football to the national team. The reception was described by participants as both a reward for recent work and a call to further responsibility.
Egypt’s national football program now faces heightened expectations from fans and policymakers alike following the World Cup campaign. The presidential meeting in El Alamein on July 11, 2026, reinforced state backing while setting out an agenda that links honouring current achievements to building the systems needed for future success.