Egypt

Egypt hold the distinction of being the first African nation to appear at a FIFA World Cup, entering the 1934 tournament in Italy — the only African representative in an era when the competition was dominated by European and South American teams. They lost 4–2 to Hungary in their sole match but established a pioneering legacy. A 56-year absence followed before the Pharaohs returned at Italia 1990, where they drew with the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland but narrowly missed the knockout stage. Another long wait of 28 years ended at Russia 2018, when Mohamed Salah led Egypt back to the World Cup for the first time since 1990; however, injuries to their talisman hampered the campaign and the Pharaohs lost all three group matches. Despite a modest record of seven matches without a win across three appearances, Egypt's historical importance as African football's trailblazer is immense. At 2026, they bring the weight of 92 years of World Cup history and a continent's hopes to North America.