The Egyptian Football Association's executive manager, Tharwat Swailam, has said that three African teams -- Libya, Morocco, Congo -- want to meet the Egyptian national team in May.

"These three teams have requested to play us in May but it's up to coach Hector Cuper to decide because this will affect our FIFA ranking," Swailam said while on Egyptian television on Tuesday.

Egypt is now in the first class of the continental rankings after placing fifth in the African rankings, helping the Pharaohs for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

They have climbed nine positions to 44 in the FIFA global football rankings that were published 7 April, after placing 53rd last month.

The Pharaohs played their first big game in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifiers against Nigeria, beating the Super Eagles 1-0 before an enthusiastic crowd at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab Stadium, all but assuring their qualification for the tournament finals in Gabon.

The seven-time African champions are at the top of Group G of the qualifiers with seven points, five ahead of the second placed Nigeria. Their first official game will be early June against Tanzania.

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