Argentina vs Egypt FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Final Stage

Atlanta Stadium

Argentina vs Egypt will kick off on 7 Jul 2026 at 12:00 EST and 17:00 GMT.

Argentina vs Egypt World Cup Round of 16 preview

After surviving an almighty scare against debutants Cabo Verde, Argentina is still on course to become the first side since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup. In between them and a quarter-final berth stands an Egypt side looking for its own slice of history. A final eight against either Switzerland or Colombia awaits the winners.

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How did Argentina and Egypt get here?

Argentina looked to be cruising at half-time against Cabo Verde. However, in keeping with their fairytale tournament, the minnows produced a stirring comeback in the second half, twice coming from behind, eventually losing 3-2 after an 111th-minute own goal. Failure to keep clean sheets against Jordan and Cabo Verde will be a concern for manager Lionel Scaloni, but his side continues to fire at the other end, scoring exactly three goals in three of their four outings at the tournament.

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Egypt's penalty shootout success against Australia was a historic moment, their first-ever win in a World Cup knockout encounter. Hossam Hassan's men could become just the fifth African country to reach a World Cup quarter-final, and they won't come into this with much fear, with only one defeat in their last eight outings.

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Messi magic still flows

The all-time leading scorer at the World Cup, Argentina’s evergreen icon Lionel Messi, is looking to become just the sixth player in history to score in his team’s first five games at a World Cup. Speaking of timeless talents, no player enters the last 16 having created more chances than Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, who has crafted 16 opportunities for his teammates.

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Argentina are supreme when matches go the distance

Argentina have now won 10 of their 12 WC matches that have gone past the 90-minute mark, claiming four non-shootout victories and winning six from the spot.

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Likely Argentina XI

Emi Martínez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Medina; De Paul, Fernández, Mac Allister; Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Almada.

Likely Egypt XI

Shobeir; Hany, Fathy, Ibrahim, Rabia; Ashour, Lasheen, Ateya, Ziko; Salah, Marmoush

Key Argentina vs Egypt facts and figures

• Argentina have tasted success in their last 24 matches on neutral territory.
• Leo Messi is the first man to score seven goals in two separate World Cups
• Three of Egypt's four games at this World Cup have so far ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.
• Egypt’s last six World Cup fixtures saw both teams score.

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Argentina 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa).

Defenders: Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid).

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (River Plate), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg), Giovani lo Celso (Real Betis), Ezequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea).

Forwards: Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan).

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Egypt 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna).

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids).

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Oviedo).

Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona).

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Team news & squads

Argentina vs Egypt Probable lineups

4-4-2

Argentina

ARG

Formation

Egypt

EGY

4-2-3-1

23E. Martinez26N. Molina13C. Romero6L. Martinez3N. Tagliafico16T. Almada7R. De Paul20A. Mac Allister24E. Fernandez10L. Messi22L. Martinez23M. Shobeir15K. Hafez5R. Rabia2Y. Ibrahim3M. Hany8E. Ashour22O. Marmoush19M. Ateya17M. Lasheen10M. Salah11M. Ziko

Egypt

EGY

4-4-2

ARGEGY

Starting XI

• 23

  E. Martinez
  23

  M. Shobeir
• 26

  N. Molina
  15

  K. Hafez
• 13

  C. Romero
  5

  R. Rabia
• 6

  L. Martinez
  2

  Y. Ibrahim
• 3

  N. Tagliafico
  3

  M. Hany
• 16

  T. Almada
  8

  E. Ashour
• 7

  R. De Paul
  22

  O. Marmoush
• 20

  A. Mac Allister
  19

  M. Ateya
• 24

  E. Fernandez
  17

  M. Lasheen
• 10

  L. Messi
  10

  M. Salah
• 22

  L. Martinez
  11

  M. Ziko

Manager

• L. Scaloni

• H. Hassan

Injuries and Suspensions

• 13
  A. Abou El Fotouh

Lionel Scaloni has not confirmed a probable lineup for Argentina, and no injury or suspension concerns have been officially listed ahead of the match. Updates will be added closer to kick-off as the squad's availability becomes clearer following their extra-time exertion against Cape Verde.

For Egypt, Hossam Hassan has similarly provided no confirmed team news at this stage. No injuries or suspensions have been declared, and the projected XI will be added here once official information is released.

Form

ARG - Form

AllHome

W3-0

W3-0

W2-0

W1-3

W3-2

Goal Scored (Conceded)

14/3

Games over 2.5 goals

4/5

Both teams scored

2/5

EGY - Form

AllAway

L2-1

D1-1

W1-3

D1-1

W1-1

Goal Scored (Conceded)

7/6

Games over 2.5 goals

2/5

Both teams scored

5/5

Head-to-Head Record

ARG

Last match

EGY

1

Win

0

Draws

0

Wins

• Egypt

  0

  -

  2

  Argentina

2

Goals scored

0

Games over 2.5 goals

0/1

Both teams scored

0/1

Argentina and Egypt have met just once in the available head-to-head record. That match took place on March 26, 2008, a friendly in which Egypt hosted Argentina and lost 2-0. There is no further competitive meeting between the sides on record, making this World Cup knockout tie a genuinely rare encounter between the two nations.

Standings

Argentina finished top of Group J, while Egypt qualified from Group G in second place.