Mahmoud Hamdy "El Wensh", the Zamalek defender, is preparing to open a new chapter with Egypt's senior national team after head coach Hossam Hassan decided to recall him for the September camp.

The decision means El Wensh is set to return to the senior Egypt squad after four years away from the national team's first-team matches.

His return comes after a strong start to the new season with Zamalek. The experienced defender has produced solid performances and regained much of his form, convincing Hossam Hassan and his coaching staff to bring him back into their plans ahead of Egypt's opening matches in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Egypt are scheduled to begin a closed training camp on September 17 as they prepare for two important matches against Angola and South Sudan in the first two rounds of the qualifying campaign.

Return After 4 Years

El Wensh's return represents an important moment in the defender's international career.

His last official appearance for Egypt's senior national team came in September 2022 against Niger.

Since then, the Zamalek defender has been away from the senior squad, although he appeared with Egypt's second national team against Jordan in the Arab Cup last year.

His performances for Zamalek at the start of the current season, however, have brought him back into the national-team picture.

El Wensh has looked more settled defensively and has shown consistency with his club, encouraging the coaching staff to give him another opportunity with the Pharaohs.

The decision also comes at an important time for Egypt.

Hossam Hassan is looking to prepare as many in-form players as possible before the start of the qualifying campaign, while creating more options in every position.

El Wensh's international experience could also become useful during a campaign that will include several matches across different international windows.

Egypt begin their qualifiers with two matches only four days apart, making squad depth and player fitness especially important.

September Test

Egypt will begin their qualifying campaign against Angola at Cairo International Stadium on September 25, 2026.

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The opening match is scheduled to kick off at 10:00 p.m.

Four days later, the Pharaohs will travel to Juba to face South Sudan on September 29, with the second-round match scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

Egypt's campaign will then continue in November with back-to-back matches against Malawi.

The third and fourth rounds are scheduled to take place during the international window between November 9 and 17, 2026.

The final two qualifying matches will be played in March 2027, when Egypt face South Sudan and Angola during the period from March 22 to 30.

That schedule means the qualifying campaign will continue over several months, making it important for Hossam Hassan to have several reliable options in every position.

El Wensh's return is part of those preparations as Egypt look to enter the campaign with the strongest possible squad.

The next Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking the first time the competition will be organised across three countries.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 19, 2027 and continue until July 17.

According to the qualification system, 48 national teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams.

The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the tournament.

With Egypt's opening qualifier getting closer, El Wensh's expected return is one of the most notable changes in the national-team squad after his long absence from the senior side.

The September camp will now give the Zamalek defender an opportunity to prove that he is ready to regain his place in Hossam Hassan's plans.

For Egypt, the main target will be to make a strong start against Angola and South Sudan and take the first important steps toward reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.