Egypt’s national team coach Hossam Hassan. Photo courtesy of EFA.
The Pharaohs are set to face the Saudis at Jeddah's Alinma Stadium before travelling to Barcelona for a second warm-up fixture against Spain on 31 March at RCDE Stadium.
Speaking at Thursday's pre-match press conference, Hassan said: "We are happy to be in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We seek to benefit from this experience against a Saudi side that are considered giants both in Asia and the Arab world."
"We will work on delivering a strong performance that pleases the fans. This match is technically significant for both teams before the World Cup. Everyone knows the global standing of these two sides; they are among the best in Africa and Asia, and we share a history of positive results together," the 59-year-old added.
Egypt have been drawn in Group G of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Iran, New Zealand and Belgium.
Hassan explained that the decision to face Saudi Arabia was tactically driven, given the Saudis' status as Asia's top-ranked side.
"Asian teams have a distinct style. Since we will face Iran in our group, we decided to play Saudi Arabia as they are currently the best on the Asian continent," Hassan noted.
The Egypt boss acknowledged the challenging conditions awaiting his squad.
"Ultimately, we want to make the most of this preparation. There will be an element of pressure as we are playing away from home in front of the Saudi fans, which is exactly the kind of atmosphere we need," Hassan added.
When asked about the status of Manchester City star Omar Marmoush, Hassan confirmed the forward’s readiness despite his late arrival to the training camp.
"Marmoush joined the squad yesterday and took part in his first group training session. He is with us," Hassan explained.
Following the Saudi fixture, the Pharaohs are scheduled to face a Spain side that boast numerous stars from Europe's elite clubs.
"We will travel after the game to face Spain, who possess world-class stars playing for the biggest clubs in the world," Hassan added.
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