Egypt face Belgium in World Cup opener as shirt row simmers

World Cup opens today with Belgium

Egypt kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign Monday night against Belgium at Lumen Field in Seattle. It's the Group G opener and the stakes could not be higher, Belgium, led by Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, are the group favorites and a team with genuine ambitions of going deep. Thibaut Courtois starts in goal. Egypt's path through the group almost certainly runs through getting something from this match. Salah leads your side into what will be a high-pressure night in front of a packed Seattle crowd (1) (2) (3) (5).

Shirt stars dispute rumbles ahead of kickoff

FIFA has reportedly blocked Egypt from wearing stars on their jersey while allowing Uruguay to display four, according to reports out of Spain. The discrepancy has caused frustration, Uruguay's stars represent their World Cup titles, but Egypt's request for a similar honour has been denied. No official explanation has been given, and the timing on the eve of the tournament only makes it sting more (7).

Fan reactions

Egyptian fans on Reddit have been vocal about broader frustrations with FIFA leadership. A joint statement signed by Egypt's FA alongside 12 other African and Caribbean nations condemned UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin's recent remarks about World Cup expansion, a sign that resentment between football's power centres and the rest of the world is simmering just as the tournament begins. See the full discussion here.