Why FIFA directive forces Egypt to drop AFCON stars from World Cup jerseys
By Joel Masibo, June 14, 2026Egypt will compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup without the seven stars that traditionally appear above the national team’s badge after FIFA reiterated its regulations regarding kit designs, according to officials from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA).
The stars have long symbolised Egypt’s record seven Africa Cup of Nations triumphs and have been a familiar feature on the Pharaohs’ jerseys. However, FIFA informed the federation several months ago that the symbols could not be displayed during World Cup fixtures because they do not represent victories in the global tournament.
Speaking to ESPN, EFA Media Officer Mohamed Morad Thabet explained that the matter was not unexpected.
“It was a routine procedure: four months ago, FIFA notified the Football Association regarding the issue of not displaying the Africa Cup of Nations stars on the national team’s jersey during World Cup matches.
“[This was a] notification, it was merely a routine step. The national team had already anticipated this and made the necessary preparations well in advance.”
While many national teams choose how to acknowledge past achievements on their kits, FIFA applies stricter rules during the World Cup. Under tournament regulations, stars displayed on jerseys must correspond to World Cup titles only.
As a result, Egypt’s seven AFCON stars will be absent throughout the competition despite commemorating the country’s continental dominance.
Exception
One notable exception remains Uruguay. FIFA permits the South American nation to wear four stars, recognising both its World Cup victories in 1930 and 1950 and its Olympic football gold medals from 1924 and 1928, competitions that were organised under FIFA’s authority.
The 2026 edition marks Egypt’s return to football’s biggest stage for the first time since Russia 2018. During that campaign, the North Africans exited in the group phase after losing all three matches. Their previous appearances came in 1934 and 1990, and they are still searching for their first-ever World Cup win.
In addition to removing the stars, Egypt was instructed to alter the colour of the squad numbers on their shirts.
“FIFA requested a change in the jerseys’ numbers from gold to white,” Morad continued.
“Puma, the company responsible for the jerseys’ colour scheme, made the switch to white to ensure the numbers were more clearly visible.”
Egypt begin their Group G campaign against Belgium in Seattle on Monday, June 15, 2026. They will then travel to Vancouver to take on New Zealand six days later before wrapping up their group-stage fixtures against Iran in Seattle on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Mohammed Salah is among the stars expected to guide the Pharaohs at the global showpiece.