Reigning world champions Argentina are set to face Egypt in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Atlanta Stadium, with Lionel Messi hoping to steer his side into the quarter-finals.
Argentina's narrow escape
Argentina's path to this round was anything but comfortable. Against World Cup debutants Cape Verde in Miami, Messi broke the deadlock in the 29th minute — yet the Albiceleste were still level when regulation time ended and ultimately required an own goal in the 111th minute to progress. The Blue Sharks had delivered a performance that rattled the holders, and relief was visible on every Argentine face at the final whistle.
Despite the scare, Argentina's record in extra-time at the World Cup remains formidable. They have won 10 of their 12 matches that have gone beyond 90 minutes, four of those without requiring a penalty shootout. Head coach Lionel Scaloni will be hoping there is no need to test that record again in Atlanta.
Messi's relentless record-breaking
The Inter Miami forward continues to rewrite the history books. His goal against Cape Verde made him the first player to score seven goals in two separate World Cups, and he will be eager to extend Argentina's winning run to nine consecutive games across two World Cup tournaments.
Egypt's twin challenges
For Egypt, stopping Messi and the Argentine attack represents an enormous task, particularly given that manager Hossam Hassan's side has conceded in every game at this World Cup. Compounding the defensive concerns, left-backs Ahmed Fatouh and Karim Hafez are both carrying injuries into the clash.
Egypt's hopes in attack rest heavily on Mohamed Salah. The former Liverpool forward was largely peripheral against Australia, but demonstrated his nerve in the penalty shootout with a composed panenka that helped the Pharaohs claim their first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout fixture. Salah was moved to tears at the final whistle — and he will be desperate to experience that emotion again in Atlanta.
Match details and where to watch
Argentina vs Egypt kicks off at 5:00pm BST / 12:00pm ET / 2:00am AEST (Wednesday). The match is available to watch free in several regions: ITV1 and ITVX in the UK (build-up from 4:15pm), SBS On Demand in Australia, RTÉ Player in Ireland, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey. In the United States, the match is broadcast on Fox, accessible via Fox One, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling, Fubo, or DirecTV.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Argentina and Egypt at a FIFA World Cup.
