Egypt

Few nations carry the weight of African football history quite like Egypt. The Pharaohs were trailblazers on the world stage as far back as the 1930s, becoming one of the first sides from their continent to appear at the tournament, and they remain the record champions of African continental football. Yet their World Cup story has been one of long absences punctuated by brief returns — most recently in the Mohamed Salah era of the late 2010s — and the group stage has never yet been conquered.

That makes 2026 feel like genuine opportunity rather than mere participation. Group G pairs Egypt with Belgium, a European heavyweight still rich in talent after their celebrated golden generation, alongside Iran, one of Asia's most consistent and stubborn qualifiers, and New Zealand, the standard-bearers of Oceania. Beyond Belgium as the presumed favourite, this group is refreshingly open — and Egypt's blend of continental pedigree and star quality gives them every reason to believe second place, or better, is theirs to take.

The Pharaohs open against Belgium — 15 Jun 2026, 12:00 local at Lumen Field, Seattle, the toughest assignment first. They then head north to face New Zealand — 21 Jun 2026, 18:00 local at BC Place, Vancouver, before returning for Iran — 26 Jun 2026, 20:00 local at Lumen Field, Seattle, as the listed home side. Keeping the whole campaign in the Pacific Northwest means minimal travel and a real chance to turn Seattle into a temporary Cairo.

Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two in each group advance along with the eight best third-placed teams, all moving into a new Round of 32. For Egypt, that math is liberating: even a narrow loss to Belgium need not be fatal if they take care of business against New Zealand and Iran. A first-ever trip to the knockout rounds has never looked more reachable.