Egypt seal historic first WC knockout berth

Egypt booked their place in the FIFA World Cup (WC) 2026 knockout stage for the first time in their history after securing a dramatic 1-1 draw against Iran in their final Group G fixture here at Lumen Field on Friday.

The Pharaohs finished the group stage unbeaten, collecting five points to progress as runners-up and set up a Round of 32 meeting with Australia.

Having entered the tournament without ever winning a World Cup match, Egypt have now enjoyed a historic campaign, reaching the knockout rounds after an impressive series of performances.

Egypt made a bright start and looked composed throughout a fiercely contested encounter.

Although Iran fought back to earn a valuable point, the draw was sufficient for the North Africans to continue their memorable run at the tournament.
For Iran, however, the result leaves their World Cup hopes hanging in the balance.

The point keeps them in contention to qualify as one of the competition’s eight best third-placed teams, but they must now wait for the remaining Group J, K and L fixtures to determine whether they will advance to the Round of 32.

The match ended in dramatic fashion after Iran appeared to have snatched a stoppage-time winner, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside following a VAR review, denying them automatic qualification.

Despite the late disappointment, Iran remain hopeful of progressing, while Egypt can now focus on their upcoming knockout clash with Australia.

Before the 2026 tournament, Egypt had competed in three previous FIFA World Cups without recording a single victory, drawing two matches and losing five.

Their unbeaten run this year marks a remarkable turnaround and a significant milestone in the nation’s football history.