Egypt will attempt to produce one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 World Cup when they face reigning champions Argentina in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
The match will be played in Atlanta, United States, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 Mecca time. Victory would send Egypt into the quarter-finals and end Argentina’s defence of the title they won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The contest will also renew a long-running footballing history between Argentina and Arab national teams. Argentina have faced several Arab sides across official competitions and friendly matches over almost a century, winning the majority of those encounters.
Egypt were Argentina’s first Arab opponents, meeting during the 1928 Olympic Games. Argentina won that match 6-0, establishing an early pattern of dominance.
The teams later met in a friendly match in Cairo, where Argentina again emerged victorious, winning 2-0.
Now, Egypt have the chance to change that record in a match of far greater consequence. A win over Argentina would not only be their first success against the South American side but would also eliminate the holders from the tournament.
Saudi Arabia Provide the Standout Example
Argentina’s history against Arab teams includes meetings with Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Morocco and Jordan.
Tunisia first played Argentina at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when the match ended 1-1. Argentina won their next meeting 2-1 at the 2005 Confederations Cup.
Saudi Arabia have faced Argentina on several occasions. Their first meeting came in a friendly tournament in Australia in 1988 and ended in a 2-2 draw. Argentina then won 2-0 in the third-place match of the same competition.
Argentina also beat Saudi Arabia 3-1 in the 1992 King Fahd Cup final, a competition later renamed the Confederations Cup.
However, Saudi Arabia achieved the most memorable Arab result against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. They beat Argentina 2-1 in the opening round of the group stage, producing one of the tournament’s most notable shocks.
That result remains the clearest example of an Arab team overcoming Argentina on the world stage and offers Egypt a reference point as they prepare for Tuesday’s knockout match.
Egypt Become Argentina’s Third Arab Opponent of 2026
Argentina have already faced two Arab teams at this World Cup.
They defeated Algeria 3-0 in the opening round of the group stage, before beating Jordan 3-1 in the third round.
Egypt will therefore become Argentina’s third Arab opponents at the tournament, with Lionel Messi and his team-mates seeking another win as they pursue a place in the quarter-finals.
Argentina have also maintained a strong record in friendlies against Arab nations. They beat Algeria 4-3 in 2007 and have won all three of their friendly matches against Morocco.
Argentina defeated Morocco 3-1 in 1994, 1-0 in 2004 and 1-0 again in 2019.
The record highlights the scale of Egypt’s task, with Argentina’s strength often attributed to the quality of their players and their experience in major international competitions.
Yet Saudi Arabia’s victory in Qatar showed that Argentina can be beaten. Egypt now have the opportunity to create their own landmark result, overturn a difficult historical record and reach the quarter-finals at the expense of the world champions.
