Belgium and Egypt Kick Off in Group G: Referee Demands Kit Change. In the Group G opener of the 2026 World Cup, Belgium and Egypt are at the center of a kit controversy. The referee has asked the Egyptians to modify their crest and shirt numbers. De Bruyne and Salah are set to take the field.
In the evening, as part of the first round of Group G of the 2026 World Cup, the match between Belgium and Egypt kicked off, immediately attracting attention not only because of the teams involved, but also due to the kit requirements for one of the teams. Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti, assigned to this match, insisted that the Egyptian national team change the player numbers and remove the stars from their crests on the jerseys. This demand came from the main football governing body and presented an unexpected obstacle for the North African team right before the start of the tournament.
Half an hour before kickoff, both teams came out for their warm-up. Belgium fielded Courtois, Meunier, Ngoy, Mechele, Castagne, Onana, Tielemans, Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard, and De Ketelaere. Egypt lined up with Shobeir, Hany, Ibrahim, Fathi, Fatouh, Lashin, Attia, Salah, Ashour, Zizo, and Marmoush. Special attention is on Mohamed Salah, for whom this tournament may be the last chance to lead Egypt to the playoffs. Belgium's key figure remains Kevin De Bruyne, who could also be playing in his final World Cup.
Interest in the match is further fueled by the story of Belgium’s striker Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who, despite offers, has declined four times to play for Spain and chose the Belgian national team. This adds an extra narrative to the rivalry, considering that Spain is also participating in this championship. In the previous game, England narrowly defeated Costa Rica in Orlando, where Rice scored the only goal, and goalkeeper Sequeira repeatedly saved the visitors — details of the meeting are available here.
Before kickoff, the teams listened to the national anthems, after which the players received final instructions in the locker room. For Egypt, facing Belgium is the toughest start in the group, but the team is counting on Salah’s experience and the support of the fans. Belgium, traditionally considered a favorite, takes the field with an updated lineup and ambitions to reach the playoffs.
The 2026 World Cup is taking place in an expanded format, increasing the competition within the groups. Both Belgium and Egypt have players competing for top European clubs. The requirement for Egypt to change its kit became one of the first organizational conflicts of the tournament. Similar situations have already occurred at major tournaments but have rarely affected the course of a match. In the coming days, it will become clear how this decision will impact Egypt's performance and whether it will spark new disputes between the teams and the organizers.
