Omar El-Shahat shares his big wins and heavy losses in interview with The Gazette
Esports has evolved into a vibrant cultural and competitive force in Egypt, elevating mobile and console gaming from a pastime into a respected athletic discipline.
Backed by groups such as the Egyptian EsportsFederation and the Egyptian Football Association, local players are steadily breaking down barriers and earning international recognition.
Egyptian teams and individual competitors are now holding their own at the highest levels, positioning the country as a leader in virtual sports across Africa and the Middle East.
Egypt’s national squads recently qualified for the Continental Cup in Casablanca, Morocco, competing in major categories, including eFootballMobile, eFootball Console, and Rocket League.
The finals, set for August 27–29, will serve as a direct qualifier for the 2026 FIFAe World Cup.
In an exclusive interview with The Egyptian Gazette, Egyptian eFootball Mobile standout Omar El-Shahat looked back on the country’s recent progress and shared his path to the top of competitive gaming.
El-Shahat started playing eFootball in 2017, after years of playing PES on PlayStation since 2012.
He never expected the smooth shift to mobile to spark such a serious competitive drive. By 2018, he had turned professional and quickly rose to the top of global rankings.
He later stepped away for a while to try other games like PUBG, which kept him out of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons.
Towards the end of 2024, however, he made a determined comeback and reclaimed the world number-one spot for the second time.
“The 2025 season proved to be a true breakthroughin my journey,” El-Shahat said.
He stunned the community by securing the top global ranking right from the first Ranked cycle.
Yet his journey hasn’t been without setbacks.
After winning East Asia regional qualifiers for FC Barcelona, he was invited to the club finals in Tokyo, where he was also set to film an advertisement.
Severe visa issues forced him to miss the trip. A week later, he won the same regional event for Manchester United and received another invitation, this time to England.
“My visa was rejected, even as I secured an embassy appointment,” he said.
“Missing those major opportunities left meseriously considering retirement,” he added.
What kept him going, however, was his deep love for the game and the steady encouragement from his fans on social media.
His big break arrived with the launch of the official FIFAe tournament under the Football Association in 2025.
El-Shahat qualified to represent Egypt and reached the African Championship final.
Though he fell in a tight match to Morocco, he earned one of only 12 spots for the FIFAe World Cup.
“The Egyptian Football Association and the Egyptian Esports Federation never ceased supporting me, helping smooth the path to the world finals,” El-Shahat said.
At the December 2025 World Cup, he entered as a favourite and advanced to the semi-finals, where he lost on a golden goal.
The heart-breaking defeat nearly broke him, but support from the Football Association, Egyptian media, and fans helped him push through.
He finished third overall and remained the top-ranked player in both Africa and the Arab world.
Before the World Cup, El-Shahat signed a major contract with the Saudi team Stallions.
The deal placed him and Brazilian player Juninhoamong the highest-paid mobile esports athletes in the world, with monthly earnings of roughly $1,200.
Looking forward, El-Shahat pointed to his recent triumph in the African Cup of Nations alongside teammate Mostafa Mehanna.
After three months of tough competition, the pair claimed the African title this month.
“This secured Egypt’s place in the upcoming Continental Cup in Casablanca,” El-Shahat said triumphantly.
“Now, our sights are set on another FIFAe World Cup appearance,” he added with enthusiasm.
