"We are certain of 95% of our final World Cup squad," Nabieh said, as quoted by the FilGoal website in Egypt.

Nabieh named a preliminary 29-man squad in May, which he now has to cut down to 23 players before June 4. Egypt have been drawn in Group A and will play Uruguay in Yekaterinburg on June 15, the hosts Russia in St. Petersburg on June 19 and Saudi Arabia in Volgograd on June 25.

Russia will host its first-ever FIFA World Cup between June 14 and July 15 at 12 stadiums across 11 cities.