Egypt Make History After Beating Australia on Penalties to Reach World Cup Round of 16

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 3, 2026

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Egypt reached the World Cup Round of 16 for the first time after a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Australia in Dallas, following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the last-32 clash on Friday. Reuters reported that the result marked Egypt’s first-ever knockout-stage win at a World Cup.

The Pharaohs made a strong start when Emam Ashour opened the scoring with a header in the 13th minute, giving Egypt an early advantage and setting the tone for a tense knockout contest. Australia found a way back into the match early in the second half after Mohamed Hany scored an own goal, sending the game into extra time and eventually penalties.

Mohamed Salah returned to Egypt’s starting lineup after recovering from a hamstring strain, giving the team a major boost in one of its most important World Cup matches. Reuters confirmed before the match that Salah had been included in the starting XI, and he later converted his penalty with composure during the shootout.

Australia missed two crucial penalties through Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington, while Egypt held their nerve from the spot. Hossam Abdelmaguid scored the decisive penalty to seal a historic night for the Pharaohs and send Egyptian fans into celebration.

The Guardian reported that Egypt will now move on to the next round, where they are expected to face either defending champions Argentina or Cape Verde, depending on the outcome of their last-32 match. For Egypt, the victory represents more than qualification; it is a landmark moment in the country’s World Cup history.