Egypt enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup with renewed ambition, aiming to re-establish itself among Africa’s best on the world stage.
Known as the Pharaohs, Egypt has a rich footballing history and a passionate fanbase, with expectations high as they return to compete with the world’s best in North America.
Led by Mohamed Salah and manager Hossam Hassan, Egypt will look to make a strong impact in the group stage and secure a place in the knockout round.
Star players are expected to play a key role as the team looks to improve on past World Cup performances and deliver unforgettable moments for their supporters.
The expanded 48-team format presents both opportunities and challenges, with the long road to the finals requiring consistency, tactical discipline and resilience.
Egypt must navigate a demanding group stage before potentially facing five high-pressure knockout matches on the road to the finals.
As the tournament unfolds in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Egypt’s schedule, match results, live scores and group standings will be closely followed by fans around the world.
This page provides detailed, real-time updates, so you can track every goal, assist and key moment throughout the Pharaohs’ World Cup journey.
Whether you’re a dedicated Egypt supporter or a global football fan, stay tuned for full coverage of every match, result and standings as they aim to make their mark on football’s biggest stage.
Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
| Category | Information |
| Group | G |
| Head Coach | Hossam Hassan (Since February 2024) |
| Captain | Mohamed Salah |
| FIFA Ranking | 34 (as of January, 2026) |
| First Match | vs Belgium – June 15, 2026 |
Egypt Group G Opponents
In Group G of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Egypt is set to face a challenging lineup consisting of a European powerhouse, a disciplined Asian side, and a hardworking team from Oceania.
Opponent Profiles
Belgium
- World Ranking: 8 (as of January 2026)
- Coach: Rudi Garcia (Since January 2025)
- Key Players: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Jérémy Doku (Manchester City), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).
- How they got here: Finished top of their UEFA qualifying group.
- Appearance: 15th (Previous best: 3rd place in 2018)
- Playing Style: A high-possession, attacking system that utilizes elite playmaking in the midfield and explosive pace on the wings.
- Head to Head: 0 matches played. This will be the first-ever senior international meeting between the two nations.
Iran
- World Ranking: 18 (as of January, 2026)
- Coach: Darren Ardeshir Amir Ghalenoei (Since March 2023)
- Key Players: Mehdi Taremi (Inter Milan), Sardar Azmoun (Roma), Saman Ghoddos (Brentford)
- How they got here: Qualified as winners of their AFC third-round group.
- Appearance: 7th (Previous best: Group Stage)
- Playing Style: Known for a pragmatic, defensively solid “low block” paired with clinical counter-attacking through their veteran strike duo.
- Head to Head: 0 Wins, 0 Draws, 2 Losses. Iran won both previous friendly meetings in 1973 and 2003.
New Zealand
- World Ranking: 95 (as of January, 2026)
- Coach: Darren Bazeley (Since November 2022)
- Key Players: Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle), Marko Stamenić (Swansea City).
- How they got here: winning the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) qualifying tournament.
- Appearance: 3rd (Previous best: Group stage in 1982, 2010)
- Playing Style: Physically demanding and hardworking, often relying on the aerial presence of Chris Wood
- Head to Head: 2 Wins, 1 Draw, 0 Losses for Egypt (Most recent: Egypt won 1–0 in 2024).
Related Guides
→ FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G – Teams, Fixtures, and Standings
Egypt Group G Schedule
Egypt will play its group stage matches in major venues across the North American West Coast.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (Local/ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 15, 2026 | Belgium | Lumen Field | 12:00 p.m. / 3:00 p.m. ET |
| June 21, 2026 | New Zealand | BC Place | 6:00 p.m. / 9:00 p.m. ET |
| June 26, 2026 | Iran | Lumen Field | 8:00 p.m. / 11:00 p.m. ET |
Egypt Group G Standings
The table below reflects the group standings before kickoff and will be updated after each matchday.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Egypt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Iran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
How Egypt Qualifies for the Knockout Stage
To reach the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Egypt national football team must navigate the tournament’s expanded 48-team format, which introduces a new Round of 32.
With the competition divided into 12 groups of four teams, the Pharaohs have multiple paths to progress from Group G.
The most straightforward route is to finish among the top two teams in the group. By securing either first or second place after matches against Belgium, Iran and New Zealand, Egypt would automatically qualify for the Round of 32.
However, finishing third in the group could still be enough to advance. Under the new format, the eight best third-placed teams across all 12 groups also move on to the knockout stage.
This means Egypt could still progress even without a top-two finish, depending on their overall performance compared with other third-placed sides.
Teams are ranked based on total points, goal difference and goals scored during the group stage. If sides remain level, fair-play points—calculated from yellow and red cards—are used before a final drawing of lots if necessary.
With 32 of the 48 teams advancing to the knockout rounds, Egypt must simply avoid finishing among the bottom 16 teams to keep their World Cup campaign alive.
Egypt Potential Knockout Stage Path
Egypt’s potential path to the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup depends on their final ranking in Group G.
Under the tournament’s expanded 48-team format, the Pharaohs could advance to the newly established Round of 32 via three primary scenarios, each offering a distinct geographical and competitive challenge across North America.
As Group G winner: Egypt will travel to the West Coast for Game 82 at Lumen Field in Seattle on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
In this scenario, they will face the best third-placed team from Groups A, E, H, I, or J.
This is the most strategically favorable route, as it typically avoids the other top-seeded group winners in the first knockout round and places the team in a familiar spot where they play their two group games.
As Group G runner-up: The team will travel to Texas for Game 88 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on July 3, 2026.
Their opponent will be the runner-up in Group D, a slot that will be contested by either the United States, Australia, or Paraguay.
This path is high-stakes, potentially leading to a Round of 16 clash in Atlanta against the winner of Group J (likely Argentina).
As the best third-placed team: If Egypt is selected as one of the eight best third-placed teams, their path is very variable.
They will be placed in Game 77 in New Jersey against the winner of Group I (likely France) or Game 85 in Vancouver against the winner of Group B (likely Canada).
| Round | If Winner of Group G | If Runner-Up of Group G | If Best 3rd Placed Team* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 32 | July 1 – Seattle (vs 3rd place B/D/E/F/J) | July 3 – Dallas (vs Runner-up Group D) | June 28/July 1 – Venue TBD (vs Group Winner B/D/J) |
| Round of 16 | July 6 – Seattle (Winner of Group D vs best third-placed team (Groups B, E, F, I or J) | July 7 – Atlanta (Winner of Group J winners vs. Group H runners-up) | July 4–7 – Venue TBD |
| Quarter-final | July 10 – Los Angeles (Winner Match 93) | July 11 – Kansas City (Winner Match 96) | July 9–11 – Venue TBD |
| Semi-final | July 15 – Dallas (Winner Match 97) | July 15 – Atlanta (Winner Match 99) | July 14–15 – Venue TBD |
| Final | July 19 – New York NJ | July 19 – New York NJ | July 19 – New York NJ |
Related Guides
→ Egypt’s Road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final: Possible Opponents & Knockout Path