Australia to face unbeaten Egypt in World Cup 2026 Round of 32

Australia to face unbeaten Egypt in World Cup 2026 Round of 32

Australia is pursuing a historic first-ever World Cup knockout victory as the Socceroos prepare to face Egypt in the Round of 32. The match is scheduled for Saturday, at 4 am AEST in Arlington, Texas.

The Egyptian side, known as the Pharaohs, enters the knockout stage unbeaten in the current tournament. Competing in Group G, Egypt recorded a victory over New Zealand and secured draws against Belgium and Iran. Throughout the group stage, Egypt scored five goals and conceded three, allowing one goal in each of their matches.

Egypt secured second place in their group following a dramatic 1-1 draw with Iran, a match where VAR ruled out a stoppage-time goal that would have given Iran the win. This unbeaten streak follows a qualifying campaign in which Egypt won eight matches and drew two.

This appearance marks a milestone for Egypt, as it is the first time the nation has ever advanced beyond the group stage of a World Cup. While they qualified for the tournaments in 1934, 1990, and 2018, they failed to reach the knockout rounds in those instances. The country also missed the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay after a storm at sea delayed their departure.

Australia's assistant coach Hayden Foxe described the Egyptian team as a "tough opponent" that plays as a cohesive unit. Foxe noted that the team possesses "real natural technical talent" and a fearless style of play. He added that while many members of the squad play in Egypt's local league, that league is strong.

The Egyptian squad is valued at US$188 million ($208 million) and features significant star power. Captain and Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, considered one of the best players of his generation, has already contributed two assists and a winning goal against New Zealand during the tournament. However, his availability for the match against Australia remains uncertain. Salah exited the match against Iran in the 57th minute and was seen with a bandage on his left leg. The Egyptian federation confirmed the 34-year-old has a hamstring injury, but has not yet announced if he will play.

If Salah is unavailable, Egypt can still rely on 27-year-old Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, who played in the first two matches and started the final group game against Iran from the bench. The squad also includes 18-year-old striker Hamza Abdul Karim of Barcelona Atlètic, though he has appeared for only seven minutes in the tournament so far.

The matchup is expected to be competitive, as Egypt is currently ranked 26th in the official FIFA rankings, just two spots below Australia. Historical meetings between the two nations are limited: Australia won a President's Cup match on penalties in 1987, while Egypt won a friendly 3-0 in Cairo in 2010. This will be the first time the two teams have faced each other at the World Cup.

The Opta supercomputer has predicted that Australia has a roughly 46 per cent chance of winning the match and achieving its first knockout victory in tournament history.