Arab Teams at World Cup 2026: Strong Draws, but Early Concern for Tunisia
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Arab teams have not opened the 2026 World Cup with major wins, but several of them have delivered important results against strong opponents. Qatar earned a late 1-1 draw against Switzerland, Morocco held Brazil 1-1, Egypt drew 1-1 with Belgium, and Saudi Arabia shared the points with Uruguay, while Tunisia suffered an early setback with a 5-1 defeat to Sweden.
Qatar’s draw with Switzerland carried historic value, with FIFA reporting that the result gave Qatar its first-ever World Cup point after a stoppage-time equalizer. Morocco also made a strong statement by holding Brazil in New Jersey, where Reuters reported that the Atlas Lions exposed defensive weaknesses in the five-time world champions.
Egypt began its campaign with a valuable 1-1 draw against Belgium in Seattle, with Emam Ashour scoring first before Belgium equalized after Romelu Lukaku’s second-half introduction. Saudi Arabia also earned an important 1-1 draw against Uruguay in Miami, leaving Group H open after the first round of matches.
Tunisia, however, faces early pressure after a heavy 5-1 loss to Sweden. FIFA said Sweden moved to the top of Group F with the emphatic win, while other reports said the result raised immediate questions about Tunisia’s tactical approach and preparation for the remaining group matches.
The Arab and Muslim football story continues on Tuesday, June 16, with Algeria facing Argentina, Iraq playing Norway, Jordan meeting Austria, and Senegal opening against France. These matches will help complete the first-round picture for Arab, African, and Muslim-majority teams at the tournament.
