Egypt vs Russia Preview

Thursday evening’s international friendly at the New Administrative Capital Stadium sees Egypt host Russia in a fixture that carries the weight of summer preparation for both nations. With the World Cup approaching, friendlies at this stage of the calendar carry more significance than usual — squad depth is being tested, tactical ideas are being refined, and players are making their case for inclusion. For both sets of supporters, the quality and intensity of this encounter will offer clues about where each team currently stands.

Egypt head into this game off the back of an unconvincing end to the Africa Cup of Nations and a mixed March window. Their most recent outing was a goalless draw away at Spain in a high-quality friendly that showed their defensive resilience but limited attacking threat against top opposition. Prior to that, an excellent 4-0 away win over Saudi Arabia demonstrated a more clinical edge. Before that, a 0-0 home defeat — on penalties — to Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations knockout ended their tournament hopes. Earlier in this run, a 1-0 defeat away at Senegal in the group stage represented a setback. The sequence opened with a 3-2 home win over Ivory Coast in their opening Africa Cup of Nations group match. Two wins from five, with their best performance coming in Riyadh, points to a squad with genuine quality but inconsistency in the big moments.

Russia arrive at the New Administrative Capital with an extended run of friendly action behind them. Their most recent outing was a 0-0 home draw against Mali. Prior to that, a comfortable 3-1 home win over Nicaragua. Before that, a 2-0 home defeat against Chile in November was a sobering result. Earlier in this run, a 1-1 home draw with Peru. The sequence opened with a 3-0 home win over Bolivia in October 2025. Two wins and two draws from five, with their opposition drawn largely from outside the top tier of international football, means their level against a stronger African nation on Thursday will be a genuine test.

The head-to-head record between these two sides is limited. Their only known meeting saw Russia win 3-1 when Egypt were the away side at the 2018 World Cup group stage. That result remains the sole point of reference between the two nations, and with nearly eight years separating this fixture from that one, the historical data offers little meaningful guidance.

Egypt will draw on home support and the familiarity of playing in front of their own fans — an atmosphere that has historically made the New Administrative Capital Stadium a difficult venue for visiting nations. Russia will need to be organised and purposeful from the outset if they are to cause problems for a well-drilled Egyptian defensive unit.

In Egypt, the match is live on ON Sport 1. In Russia, viewers can follow on Match Premier and matchtv.ru. Fans in the United Arab Emirates can watch on Sharjah Sports, and in the United States the game is available on fuboTV and FOX Deportes.

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Injuries

Egypt: Soliman (Out), Abdelmonem (Out)

Russia: Komlichenko (Out), Golovin (Out), Borisko (Out), Glebov (Out)

Russia carry the more significant injury concerns ahead of this fixture. Losing Golovin — one of their most creative and experienced players — is a notable blow in the attacking midfield zone, and with three further absentees including Komlichenko up front and Borisko in defence, the depth of their available squad will be tested. Egypt lose two players to muscle injuries but the impact is comparatively manageable.

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Egypt — Last 5 Games

Result	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Competition	Date
🤝	Spain	0-0	Egypt	International Friendly	Mar 31, 2026
✅	Saudi Arabia	0-4	Egypt	International Friendly	Mar 27, 2026
❌	Egypt	0-0	Nigeria	Africa Cup of Nations	Jan 17, 2026
❌	Senegal	1-0	Egypt	Africa Cup of Nations	Jan 14, 2026
✅	Egypt	3-2	Ivory Coast	Africa Cup of Nations	Jan 10, 2026

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Russia — Last 5 Games

Result	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Competition	Date
🤝	Russia	0-0	Mali	International Friendly	Mar 31, 2026
✅	Russia	3-1	Nicaragua	International Friendly	Mar 27, 2026
❌	Russia	0-2	Chile	International Friendly	Nov 15, 2025
🤝	Russia	1-1	Peru	International Friendly	Nov 12, 2025
✅	Russia	3-0	Bolivia	International Friendly	Oct 14, 2025

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Head to Head — Last Meeting

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Competition	Date
Russia	3-1	Egypt	World Cup	Jun 19, 2018

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TV Listings / Streaming

Country	Channel
Egypt	ON Sport 1
Russia	Match Premier / matchtv.ru
United Arab Emirates	Sharjah Sports / Maraya
USA	fuboTV / FOX Deportes