Since the establishment of the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt has been a frequent participant, having played in 26 of 34 AFCON editions, the most of all participants in African history. The Egyptians won the inaugural 1957, and successfully defended it two years later. However, Egypt had to wait until 1986 to win it for the third time. During this era of early participation, Egypt frequently entered to the semi-finals and at least gained runners-up or third place. However, after 1986, Egypt would have a poor era from 1988 to 1996 when the team was knocked out from the group stage and quarter-finals. In 1998, Egypt successfully conquered its fourth trophy.[1]
However, it was the 2000s that witnessed the most successful Egyptian side in AFCON, as Egypt won the tournament back to back from 2006 to 2010, expanding their result to seven, an African record. Egypt then missed three AFCON editions from 2012 to 2015, before returning in 2017, where the Pharaohs almost conquered its eighth title until a 1–2 loss to Cameroon in the final. Egypt would again reach the final in 2021, this time losing on penalties to Senegal.
Egypt is also the country that hosted the most AFCON editions, five times. Three of them ended with Egypt being crowned champions. The 2019 edition was hosted by Egypt, but the Pharaohs had a dismal performance, lost to South Africa, another former AFCON champion, 0–1, right at home turf in the round of sixteen in spite of three group stage wins.[2]
| Africa Cup of Nations record | Africa Cup of Nations qualification record | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Squad | |||||||||||||
 1957 | Champions | 1st | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | Squad | No Qualification | ||||||
| bgcolor=gold style="border: 3px solid red" | 1959 | Champions | 1st | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | Squad | No Qualification | |||||
 1962 | Runners-up | 2nd | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | Squad | Qualified as defending champions | ||||||
 1963 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | Squad | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
 1965 | Withdrew after qualifying | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||||
| 1968 | Withdrew | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||||||||
| 1970 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | Squad | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
 1972 | Did not qualify | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||
 1974 | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 5 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | |||||||
| 1976 | Semi-finals | 4th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | Squad | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | |
| 1978 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||
 1980 | Semi-finals | 4th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | Squad | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
 1982 | Withdrew | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | |||||||||
| 1984 | Semi-finals | 4th | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1986 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
 1988 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Squad | Qualified as defending champions | ||||||
 1990 | Group stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | |
 1992 | Group stage | 11th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Squad | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 5 | |
| 1994 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | Squad | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | |
 1996 | Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | Squad | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 5 | |
 1998 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | Squad | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2000 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | Squad | Qualified as defending champions | ||||||
 2002 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | |
| 2004 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Squad | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2006 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
| 2008 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | Squad | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 2 | |
 2010 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | Squad | 13 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 7 | |
  2012 | Did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2015 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | Squad | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Round of 16 | 10th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2021 | Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Squad | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2023 | Round of 16 | 12th | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 7 | Squad | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2025 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||||
  2027 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 7 Titles | 26/34 | 111 | 60 | 24 | 27 | 175 | 97 | 119 | 66 | 29 | 24 | 217 | 90 | ||
| Year | Date | Location | Stages | Opponent | Result | Egypt scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 February 1957 | 2–1 | |||||
| 15 February 1957 | 4–0 | |||||
| 22 May 1959 | Final phase | 4–0 | ||||
| 29 May 1959 | 2–1 | |||||
| 18 January 1962 | Semi-finals | 2–1 | ||||
| 21 January 1962 | 2–4 | |||||
| 24 November 1963 | Group stage | 6–3 | ||||
| 26 November 1963 | 2–2 | |||||
| 30 November 1963 | Third place | 3–0 | ||||
| 7 February 1970 | Group stage | 4–1 | ||||
| 9 February 1970 | 1–1 | |||||
| 11 February 1970 | 1–0 | |||||
| 14 February 1970 | Semi-finals | 1–2 | ||||
| 16 February 1970 | Third place | 3–1 | ||||
| 1 March 1974 | Group stage | 2–1 | ||||
| 4 March 1974 | 3–1 | |||||
| 6 March 1974 | 2–0 | |||||
| 9 March 1974 | Semi-finals | 2–3 | ||||
| 11 March 1974 | Third place | 4–0 | ||||
| 29 February 1976 | First round | 1–1 | ||||
| 3 March 1976 | 2–1 | |||||
| 6 March 1974 | 1–1 | |||||
| 9 March 1974 | Final round | 1–2 | ||||
| 11 March 1974 | 2–4 | |||||
| 14 March 1974 | 2–3 | |||||
| 8 March 1980 | Group stage | 2–1 | ||||
| 12 March 1980 | 2–1 | |||||
| 15 March 1980 | 0–1 | |||||
| 19 March 1980 | Semi-finals | 2–2 | ||||
| 21 March 1980 | Third place | 0–2 | ||||
| 4 March 1984 | Group stage | 1–0 | ||||
| 7 March 1984 | 2–1 | |||||
| 10 March 1984 | 0–0 | |||||
| 14 March 1984 | Semi-finals | 2–2 | ||||
| 17 March 1984 | Third place | 1–3 | ||||
| 7 March 1986 | Group stage | 0–1 | ||||
| 10 March 1986 | 2–0 | |||||
| 13 March 1986 | 2–0 | |||||
| 17 March 1986 | Semi-finals | 1–0 | ||||
| 21 March 1986 | 0–0 | |||||
| 14 March 1988 | Group stage | 0–1 | ||||
| 17 March 1988 | 3–0 | |||||
| 20 March 1988 | 0–0 | |||||
| 2 March 1990 | Group stage | 1–3 | ||||
| 5 March 1990 | 0–1 | |||||
| 8 March 1990 | 0–2 | |||||
| 13 January 1992 | Group stage | 0–1 | ||||
| 17 January 1992 | 0–1 | |||||
| 28 March 1994 | Group stage | 4–0 | ||||
| 30 March 1994 | 0–0 | |||||
| 2 April 1994 | Quarter-finals | 0–1 | ||||
| 15 January 1996 | Group stage | 2–1 | ||||
| 18 January 1996 | 1–2 | |||||
| 24 January 1996 | 1–0 | |||||
| 27 January 1996 | Quarter-finals | 1–3 | ||||
| 10 February 1998 | Group stage | 2–0 | ||||
| 13 February 1998 | 4–0 | |||||
| 17 February 1998 | 0–1 | |||||
| 21 February 1998 | Quarter-finals | 0–0 | ||||
| 25 February 1998 | Semi-finals | 2–0 | ||||
| 28 February 1998 | 2–0 | |||||
| 23 January 2000 | Group stage | 2–0 | ||||
| 28 January 2000 | 1–0 | |||||
| 2 February 2000 | 4–2 | |||||
| 7 February 2000 | Quarter-finals | 0–1 | ||||
| 20 January 2002 | Group stage | 0–1 | ||||
| 25 January 2002 | 1–0 | |||||
| 31 January 2002 | 2–1 | |||||
| 4 February 2002 | Quarter-finals | 0–1 | ||||
| 25 January 2004 | Group stage | 2–1 | ||||
| 29 January 2004 | 1–2 | |||||
| 3 February 2004 | 0–0 | |||||
| 20 January 2006 | Group stage | 3–0 | ||||
| 24 January 2006 | 0–0 | |||||
| 28 January 2006 | 3–1 | |||||
| 3 February 2006 | Quarter-finals | 4–1 | ||||
| 7 February 2006 | Semi-finals | 2–1 | ||||
| 10 February 2006 | 0–0 | |||||
| 22 January 2008 | Group stage | 4–2 | ||||
| 26 January 2008 | 3–0 | |||||
| 30 January 2008 | 1–1 | |||||
| 4 February 2008 | Quarter-finals | 2–1 | ||||
| 7 February 2008 | Semi-finals | 4–1 | ||||
| 10 February 2008 | 1–0 | |||||
| 12 January 2010 | Group stage | 3–1 | ||||
| 16 January 2010 | 2–0 | |||||
| 20 January 2010 | 2–0 | |||||
| 25 January 2010 | Quarter-finals | 3–1 | ||||
| 28 January 2010 | Semi-finals | 4–0 | ||||
| 31 January 2010 | 1–0 | |||||
| 17 January 2017 | Group stage | 0–0 | ||||
| 21 January 2017 | 1–0 | |||||
| 25 January 2017 | 1–0 | |||||
| 29 January 2017 | Quarter-finals | 1–0 | ||||
| 28 January 2017 | Semi-finals | 1–1 | ||||
| 5 February 2017 | 1–2 | |||||
| 21 June 2019 | Group stage | 1–0 | ||||
| 26 June 2019 | 2–0 | |||||
| 30 June 2019 | 2–0 | |||||
| 6 July 2019 | Round of 16 | 0–1 | ||||
| 11 January 2022 | Group stage | 0–1 | ||||
| 15 January 2022 | 1–0 | |||||
| 19 January 2022 | Yaoundé | 1–0 | ||||
| 26 January 2022 | Douala | Round of 16 | 0–0 | |||
| 30 January 2022 | Yaoundé | Quarter-finals | 2–1 | |||
| 3 February 2022 | Semi-finals | 0–0 | ||||
| 6 February 2022 | Final | 0–0 | ||||
| 14 January 2024 | Group stage | 2–2 | ||||
| 18 January 2024 | 2–2 | |||||
| 22 January 2024 | 2–2 | |||||
| 28 January 2024 | San Pédro | Round of 16 | 1–1 |