The eyes of Egyptian football fans will be fixed at 7:00 p.m. today on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where one of the most highly anticipated matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 will take place, Egypt’s national team is set to face 2022 FIFA World Cup champions Argentina in a blockbuster encounter as the tournament continues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The highly anticipated clash has captured the attention of millions of football supporters, with Egypt aiming to continue its historic World Cup campaign against one of the tournament’s strongest contenders led by football legend Lionel Messi.
Egypt Chasing Another Historic Milestone
Led by head coach Hossam Hassan, Egypt enters the match with enormous ambitions after reaching the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history—an achievement widely regarded as one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far.
The Pharaohs secured their place in the last 16 following a hard-fought victory over Australia in the Round of 32, winning 4-2 on penalties after regular and extra time ended in a 1-1 draw.
Egypt Complete Preparations for Argentina Showdown
Egypt’s senior national team, under the guidance of twin brothers Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan, concluded its preparations for the crucial encounter against Argentina with its final training session.
A total of 24 players participated in the team’s final workout, while defenders Mohamed Abdelmonem and Ahmed Fattouh continued their rehabilitation programs under the supervision of the medical staff.
The Egyptian squad carries the hopes of millions of supporters across Egypt, Africa, and the Arab world as it seeks to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the country’s history.
Should Egypt overcome Argentina, it would join Morocco in the quarter-finals after the Atlas Lions recorded an emphatic 3-0 victory over co-host Canada, while Mexico—another tournament co-host alongside the United States and Canada—also exited the competition in the Round of 16.
Argentina Looking to Raise Their Level
On the other side, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni is hoping to see a significantly improved performance from his team following its previous outing against Cape Verde, one of the tournament’s surprise packages, while ensuring there are no unexpected upsets that could derail the reigning world champions’ title defense.
Hossam Hassan: “Egypt Will Not Be Easy Prey”
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan expressed his pride in seeing the Pharaohs reach the Round of 16 and face reigning world champions Argentina, stressing that the achievement is the result of the tremendous efforts made by the players, coaching staff, and everyone involved in Egyptian football.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Hassan acknowledged the limited recovery time between Egypt’s Round of 32 victory over Australia and the upcoming clash with Argentina. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the technical staff had focused on player recovery while conducting a thorough analysis of the South American side.
“We are facing a great team like Argentina, which has a living legend in Lionel Messi,” Hassan said. “Despite that, we remain committed to implementing our own tactical philosophy and style of play.”
The Egypt coach also underlined his respect for Argentina’s players, particularly Messi, but insisted that neither he nor his staff are focused on individual opponents.
“If we concentrate on the names of the opposing players, we will not be able to continue our work or our achievements. Our entire focus is on making the Egyptian people happy rather than thinking about the stars of the opposing team,” he stated.
Hassan acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge awaiting his side but stressed that Egypt would not be easy opponents for the reigning world champions.
“We know how difficult the match against Argentina will be, but Egypt will not be easy prey. We will fight to achieve what everyone is hoping for,” he added.
The veteran coach also expressed his surprise over Argentina’s reported objection to the appointment of the French referee assigned to officiate the match, reaffirming his full respect for all refereeing decisions.
Hassan went on to describe the FIFA World Cup as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every player to showcase his abilities and represent Egyptian football on the global stage, reiterating his complete confidence in every member of the national team.
Commenting on the role played by national team performance analyst Mahmoud Selim before the penalty shootout against Australia, Hassan said such preparation is entirely natural, explaining that the coaching staff studies every detail and prepares meticulously for every possible scenario.
The Egypt manager concluded his remarks by stating that his solidarity with the Palestinian people stems first and foremost from humanitarian principles, emphasizing that the Palestinian cause remains close to the heart of every Egyptian.
Expected Egypt Starting Lineup
Goalkeeper:
- Mostafa Shobeir
Defenders:
- Mohamed Hany
- Yasser Ibrahim
- Rami Rabia
- Karim Hafez
Midfielders:
- Mohannad Lasheen
- Marwan Attia
- Emam Ashour
Forwards:
- Mohamed Salah
- Haitham Mohamed
- Omar Marmoush
Expected Argentina Starting Lineup
Goalkeeper:
- Emiliano Martínez
Defenders:
- Nahuel Molina
- Cristian Romero
- Lisandro Martínez
- Medina
Midfielders:
- Rodrigo De Paul
- Enzo Fernández
- Alexis Mac Allister
Forwards:
- Lionel Messi
- Lautaro Martínez
- Almada
TV Channels Broadcasting Egypt vs Argentina
beIN Sports holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 across the Middle East and North Africa. Accordingly, the highly anticipated Round of 16 clash between Egypt and Argentina will be broadcast live on the network’s free-to-air channel, in addition to several beIN SPORTS MAX channels, allowing football fans across the region to follow one of the tournament’s biggest knockout-stage encounters.
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