Egypt have received important details regarding player replacement rules for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as part of the tournament regulations governing participating squads.
The regulations state that each final squad must include between 23 and 26 players, with the selected players coming from the provisional list submitted to FIFA.
A player named on the final list may be replaced in the event of serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before the kick-off of his team’s first World Cup match, provided a detailed medical assessment is submitted and accepted by FIFA’s medical authorities.
The rules also allow a goalkeeper on the final list to be replaced during the tournament in cases of serious injury or illness, subject to the approved medical process and with a new shirt number assigned to the replacement goalkeeper.
For Egypt’s coaching staff, the regulations offer room to handle medical emergencies before the opening match, while also increasing the importance of careful provisional and final squad selection.