Egypt will not be allowed to wear their World Cup jersey featuring seven stars above the crest, after FIFA instructed the Pharaohs to remove them before their opening game against Belgium. The stars, which symbolize Egypt’s record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, have been deemed non‑compliant with tournament kit regulations that reserve crest stars for World Cup triumphs.
FIFA has also told Egypt that the gold colour used for the players’ names and numbers must be changed, with officials insisting on adjustments to align with uniform guidelines for the 2026 finals. The ruling means Egypt’s kit supplier must rush through a revised design, stripping the stars from above the badge and altering the colour scheme on the back of the shirt before the team’s first match.
For many Egyptian fans, the seven stars are a point of pride, representing decades of continental dominance and a record that no African nation has matched. Their removal will be seen as more than a cosmetic tweak, touching directly on national football identity at a moment when Egypt is returning to the global stage.
The episode also highlights the strict interpretation of kit symbolism at World Cups, where crest stars are widely recognized as shorthand for global titles and part of the competition’s visual language. While Egypt can still celebrate their AFCON legacy in other settings, they will have to do so without the seven stars on their shirts when they line up against Belgium in their World Cup opener.
