The Egyptian national football team will compete at the FIFA World Cup without the seven stars that traditionally appear above its crest to symbolize its record Africa Cup of Nations titles.
The development follows a directive from FIFA requiring the team to comply with official tournament kit regulations, according to the Egyptian Football Association (EFA).
For years, the Pharaohs have displayed seven stars on their jerseys to celebrate each of their continental championship victories. However, the football governing body informed the EFA earlier this year that the stars could not be included on the team’s World Cup uniforms.
As part of the adjustments made to meet FIFA requirements, Egypt has also altered the design of its kit by changing player number colours from gold to white to improve visibility during matches.
Speaking on the issue, EFA Media Officer Mohamed Morad Thabet described the move as a routine administrative matter rather than a disciplinary action.
He explained that FIFA notified the federation about four months ago, giving officials enough time to modify the Puma-designed jerseys before the start of the competition.
According to Thabet, the national team had already anticipated the requirement and completed all necessary preparations well ahead of the tournament.
Egypt will begin its World Cup journey with a Group G encounter against Belgium in Seattle on Monday. The North African side will then face New Zealand in Vancouver six days later before concluding its group-stage campaign against Iran in Seattle on June 26.
The kit changes come as Egypt focuses on advancing from a challenging group and making a strong impression at football’s biggest global tournament.
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