Egypt secured second place in Group G following a 1-1 draw with Iran, setting up a knockout stage match against Australia in the round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2023 at 4:00 AM AEST at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Match Background
This will be the first meeting between Australia and Egypt at a World Cup. The two senior teams have played twice previously, with the most recent encounter in November 2010 resulting in a 3-0 victory for Egypt.
Three Australian players—Connor Metcalfe, Harry Souttar, and Cameron Devlin—were part of the Olyroos squad that lost 2-0 to Egypt in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, preventing Australia from advancing to the quarterfinals.
Egypt is ranked 26th in the FIFA world rankings, two places above Australia at 28th. Australia has not won a men's World Cup knockout match, having been eliminated in the round of 16 in 2006 and 2022. The tournament expanded to 48 teams, making this a round-of-32 fixture.
Group Stage Results
Egypt finished second in Group G with five points. Belgium won the group after defeating New Zealand 5-1, securing top spot on goal difference. Iran finished third with three points and must wait to determine if they advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Australia advanced from Group D after a scoreless draw against Paraguay. The Socceroos also played group stage matches against Turkey and the United States.
Match Details: Egypt vs Iran (1-1)
- Egypt took a 5th-minute lead when Mahmoud Saber scored.
- Iran equalized in the 14th minute through Ramin Rezaeian.
- Iran's Mehdi Taremi had a first-half penalty saved.
- Taremi later hit the crossbar with a header.
- Iran's Shoja Khalilzadeh scored in the 93rd minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
- Had Iran won, they would have finished second and faced Australia.
Player Status and Injury Concerns
Egypt forward Mohamed Salah was substituted in the 57th minute against Iran with strapping on his left leg. Reports indicate a hamstring issue. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan stated that Salah requested the substitution and will be assessed prior to the match. Salah has one goal and two assists in this World Cup.
Egypt has additional injury concerns:
- Defender Ahmed Fatouh (hamstring) and midfielder Hamdi Fathi are ruled out.
- Mohamed Abdelmonem (ankle) is also ruled out.
- Key midfielder Mohanad Lasheen will miss the match due to injury.
The Australian squad has been reduced to 24 players due to injuries to Jacob Italiano and Mathew Leckie.
Team Preparation
"We must focus on our own preparation and how we measure up against the opposition." — Australia assistant coach Hayden Foxe
Australia assistant coach Hayden Foxe stated that the team is preparing for Salah to be fit, noting his talent and expected efforts to play. Foxe commented that Australia must focus on their own preparation and how they measure up against the opposition. He also stated that Egypt's style is similar to teams Australia faces in Asian qualifying.
Connor Metcalfe described the Olympic loss as motivation and stated the team thrives as underdogs. Defender Lucas Herrington acknowledged threats from Egypt's squad, including Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, but said the team must be prepared for all players.
The Socceroos will remain at their base in Berkeley, California, until two days before the match. The team is scheduled to fly to Dallas on Wednesday. AT&T Stadium is indoors and air-conditioned, mitigating high temperatures forecast for the Dallas area. The squad had a seven-day break between the group stage and knockout match.
Key Players for Egypt
- Captain Mohamed Salah (injury concern)
- Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush
- Hamza Abdelkarim