Egypt booked their place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time after a 1-1 draw against Iran in their final Group G match in Seattle.
The Pharaohs will now face Australia in the round of 32 on Friday.
Egypt went ahead inside five minutes when Mohamed Salah’s shot was spilled by Alireza Beiranvand, and Mahmoud Saber was the first to react with a powerful shot that found its way into the net.
Iran had the chance to level almost immediately after Mehdi Taremi was fouled in the area, but Mostafa Shobeir dived to save the striker’s penalty.
The equaliser came in the 14th minute when Shobeir kept out Milad Mohammadi’s effort, only for Ramin Rezaeian to drill in the rebound from a tight angle.
Iran pushed for a winner in the final minutes, and it almost paid off in stoppage time when Shoja Khalilzadeh bundled the ball in after a goalmouth scramble. But the goal was ruled out after a VAR review, with Khalilzadeh judged offside after Shobeir had come off his line.
Egypt
Mostafa Shobeir
Mohamed Hany
Rami Rabia
Mohamed Abdelmonem
Yasser Ibrahim 14′
Ahmed Abou El Fotouh
Mohanad Lasheen
Mahmoud Saber
Marwan Attia 45′
Emam Ashour
Omar Marmoush 45′
Mohamed Salah
Zizo 57′
Trezeguet
Mostafa Ziko
Hamza Abdelkarim 76′
Iran
Alireza Beiranvand
Ramin Rezaeian
Mohammad Hossein Kanaanizadegan
Saleh Hardani 45′
Shoja Khalilzadeh
Ali Nemati
Milad Mohammadi
Saman Ghoddos
Shahriyar Moghanlou 67′
Mohammad Ghorbani
Saeid Ezatolahi
Mohammad Mohebbi
Alireza Jahanbakhsh 90+1′
Mehdi Taremi
