CAIRO – Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Egypt has continued its unprecedented momentum across multiple sectors, with sport at the forefront. Throughout 2025, the country further cemented its status as a premier global sporting hub.
From the seamless hosting of major championships to the delivery of world-class organisational standards, Egypt once again proved its ability to stage elite international events with precision and professionalism.
As the year draws to a close, we look back on the milestones that defined an outstanding year for Egyptian sport.
World Cup bound
Egypt heading back to football’s biggest stage. The Pharaohs have secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking their fourth appearance at the global showpiece and their first since Russia 2018, reigniting excitement among fans nationwide.
The achievement earned swift recognition from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who congratulated Egyptian FA President Hani Abou Rida on a “well-deserved qualification” and hailed Egypt’s return to the world stage.
On the pitch, the campaign was emphatic. Under head coach Hossam Hassan, the Pharaohs topped Group A unbeaten with 26 points from 10 matches, finishing clear of Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
For Hassan, it was a milestone moment — a World Cup player in 1990, now reaching the tournament again from the touchline.
Aqua champions
Egypt dominated the 4th Arab Aquatics Games in Morocco, storming to the overall title with 173 medals, including 94 gold. The Pharaohs claimed six team cups across the 13–18 age groups, asserting control across every discipline.
Young stars Marwan Mahmoud and Hagar Ahmed set the early pace, while older juniors, led by Ziad Al-Ashry and Hala Omar, tightened Egypt’s grip on the competition.
Golden karatekas
Egyptian karatekas stole the spotlight at the 2025 World Karate 1-Premier League in Cairo, leading the hosts to the top of the medal table.
Competing against 384 athletes from 67 countries, Team Egypt collected 11 medals — four gold, two silver, and five bronze — surpassing traditional powerhouse Japan.
The tournament, held at Cairo International Stadium, reinforced Egypt’s reputation as a top destination for major sporting events, combining world-class competition with flawless organisation.
Elite judokas
Egyptian judokas reaffirmed their continental dominance at the African Junior and Youth Championships in Luanda, racking up 25 medals — eight gold, six silver, and eleven bronze — against 160 athletes from 16 nations.
Rising stars Ahmed Bahaa Abu Zeid and Habiba El-Sayed set the pace, while Mariam Amir’s gold in the 57kg class and Abdullah Hamdy’s sweep of the +90kg and +100kg titles highlighted Egypt’s strength across all divisions.
Strong performances from Youssef Khaled, Ali Al-Ramly, Mohamed Hani, and Safaa Suleiman added to the tally, underlining the depth of talent across both men’s and women’s categories.
Mat masters
Egypt’s wrestling stars dominated the 2025 African Wrestling Championship in Morocco, racking up 62 medals — 37 gold, 19 silver, and 6 bronze — across Greco-Roman, freestyle, and women’s events.
The U-17 and U-20 squads showcased rising talent, while the senior team asserted dominance in every weight category.
Egypt’s women wrestlers also made history with six medals, highlighted by Rahma Magdy, Farah Ali, and Mariam Mesbah.
Standout performers included senior champions Ahmed Hani, Mohamed Gaber, and breakout star Yehia El-Gamal, who claimed double gold in U-17 and U-20 Greco-Roman.
Cycle champs
Egypt’s national cycling team dominated the 2025 African Track Cycling Championship in Cairo, claiming the overall title with 51 medals — 21 gold, 15 silver, and 15 bronze — comfortably ahead of South Africa and Algeria.
With 17 men and 11 women, the 28-strong squad blended veterans riders and rising stars to excel across all disciplines.
Para triumph
Egypt made history at the 2025 World Para Powerlifting Championships in the New Administrative Capital, claiming 20 medals at the first edition ever held on African soil.
The 54-strong team excelled across senior and junior categories, with golds from Mohamed El-Menyawi (59kg) and Rehab Radwan (61kg), and standout performances from juniors Mohamed Abdelmagid, Abdelrahman El-Desouki, and Habiba Ahmed.
Praised by the International Paralympic Committee for world-class organisation and eco-friendly standards, Egypt hosted 655 athletes from 72 countries, setting a new benchmark for global para powerlifting.
Track speedsters
Egypt’s rising stars dominated the 2025 African U-18 and U-20 Athletics Championships, claiming a historic 25 medals and showcasing strength across sprints, jumps, throws, and race walking.
Standouts included Rasha Siaam and Haneen Khaled (pole vault), Leila Mohamed (high jump), Mariam Reda and Malak Abdel Ghani (hammer throw and steeplechase), and race walkers Ziad Anis and Mona Hussein.
Sprint sensation Basant Hamida stole the spotlight, becoming the first Egyptian woman to qualify directly for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a national-record 50.53s in the 400m, adding multiple European golds and a 100m bronze to her haul.
With a 46-strong delegation, Egypt’s youth athletes cemented the nation’s continental dominance and signaled a bright path toward the 2028 Olympics.
Gymnast titans
Egyptian gymnastics continued its meteoric rise in 2025, dazzling at the FIG World Cup Series and the African Gymnastics Championship in Cairo.
The home crowd witnessed a record haul as Egypt claimed five medals at the World Cup — two golds from Omar Al-Arabi (parallel bars) and Janna Mahmoud (floor) — and three bronzes, including Judy Abdullah’s double podium finish.
The momentum continued at the African Championship, where Egypt won eight medals, highlighted by Alia Ahmed’s four golds in hoop, ball, and ribbon, plus silver in the all-around.
Top shooters
Egypt hosted the largest-ever World Shooting Championship, “Pistol and Rifle – Cairo 2025,” at the state-of-the-art Egypt International Olympic City, reinforcing its reputation as a premier global sporting hub.
The tournament drew over 1,100 shooters from 72 nations, making it one of the most competitive and technically advanced editions in history. The host nation rose to the occasion, claiming eight medals across multiple disciplines.
Volleyball glory
Egypt’s U-20 volleyball team swept Cameroon 3–0 in the final to claim the 2025 African U-20 Championship, securing their place at the upcoming World Championship.
The Pharaohs dominated all three sets — 25–20, 25–18, 25–22 — with Ahmed El-Buhairi named Best Spiker and Youssef Al-Rassas anchoring a formidable block. Egypt’s skill, teamwork, and poise proved unmatched among the eight competing nations.
Pentathlon champs
Egypt reinforced its global stature in modern pentathlon, flawlessly hosting three major championships in 10 days in Alexandria, including the World Cup Final, the inaugural World Relay Championships, and the African Championship.
Egypt collected 23 medals at the African Championship, then added eight more at the World Cup Series, highlighted by golds from Farida Khalil, Mohannad Shaaban, Moataz Wael, and Malak Ismail. Khalil and Wael struck gold again at the World finale.
Archery stars
Egypt’s national archery team shone at the 2025 African Championship in Côte d’Ivoire, bringing home five medals — three golds and two silvers — and highlighting a rising generation of talent.
Nora Al-Sabbagh claimed gold in the women’s compound bow, while U18 star Noray El-Sayed won the girls’ individual event. The pair teamed with Ismail Ezz El-Din to capture gold in mixed doubles, with Ezz El-Din adding two silvers in individual and team events.
African kings
Pyramids FC made history by claiming their first CAF Champions League title, defeating South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in Cairo for a 3-2 aggregate win.
The triumph made Pyramids the fourth Egyptian club to lift Africa’s premier club trophy, joining Al-Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily, and cemented Egypt as the first nation to produce four different continental champions.
Pyramids FC showcased their rise from ambitious newcomers to Africa’s elite, adding to Egypt’s total CAF Champions League tally of 19 and strengthening the nation’s continental legacy.
Handball heroes
Egypt’s junior handball team clinched a dramatic silver medal at the inaugural IHF Men’s U-17 World Championship in Morocco, narrowly falling 44–43 to Germany in overtime after a thrilling 37–37 draw in regular time.
The 2008-born squad stormed through the group stage with authoritative wins over Brazil (35–26) and the USA (42–22), before topping their group with a 32–20 triumph against host nation Morocco.
In the semi-finals, Egypt edged past Spain 31–28, while the golden finish narrowly slipped away, the Young Pharaohs’ silver medal is a testament to their skill, grit, and the bright future of Egypt’s youth handball.
