Egypt’s 1-1 draw with Iran has become the most-watched match of the 2026 World Cup so far, according to FIFA, after attracting 107.4 million viewers across the Middle East and North Africa region.
The world governing body said the Group G match, shown by Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports, delivered the tournament’s highest live television audience to date in the region.
FIFA described the broadcast as “historic” and said the preliminary figures represented an exceptional milestone for World Cup coverage in the Middle East and North Africa.
The match was played at Seattle Stadium during the final round of group-stage fixtures, with Egypt needing a result to strengthen their position in the group.
Egypt eventually finished second in Group G following the draw, while Iran were eliminated from the competition.
Goals shared in Seattle
Egypt took the lead through Mahmoud Saber, who opened the scoring for the Pharaohs during the match in the United States.
Iran responded through Ramin Rezaeian, whose equaliser brought the teams level and ensured the match ended 1-1.
Neither side was able to find a decisive second goal, leaving Egypt with a point that proved important in their efforts to advance from the group stage.
For Iran, the draw was not enough to keep their World Cup campaign alive. The result confirmed the elimination of the side featuring Mehdi Taremi, while Egypt secured second place in the group.
The fixture formed part of the World Cup’s third round of group-stage matches. The 2026 tournament is being hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Although the contest ended without a winner, its significance extended beyond the result on the pitch because of the audience it drew across the Mena region.
FIFA reports record audience
FIFA said 107.4 million viewers watched the Egypt-Iran match through beIN Sports, the official broadcaster of the World Cup in the Middle East and North Africa.
The organisation said this was the largest audience recorded for any match in the tournament so far and marked the broadcaster’s highest live viewership for a 2026 World Cup game to date.
FIFA added that the figures were based on preliminary audience data. It said final and consolidated viewing statistics would be released after the tournament has concluded.
The governing body also highlighted the scale of interest generated by the fixture, describing the television coverage as “historic”.
The record demonstrates the wide regional attention surrounding Egypt’s World Cup campaign, particularly as the Pharaohs continue into the knockout stage.
Australia await Egypt in round of 32
Egypt are now preparing for their next match against Australia in the round of 32.
The game will be played in Dallas, United States, on Friday, 3 July, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 Cairo and Mecca time.
The Pharaohs will enter the tie after finishing second in Group G, having secured their place in the knockout rounds through their group-stage results.
Their draw against Iran may have ended the group phase without a victory, but it delivered a place in the next round and produced a major broadcasting landmark for the tournament.
Egypt will now seek to turn the strong interest surrounding their campaign into further progress on the field when they face Australia for a place in the next stage of the World Cup.
