Infantino hails Egypt’s historic World Cup run and hopes to see them back soon

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has praised Egypt’s performance at the 2026 World Cup, describing the Pharaohs’ campaign in North America as “exceptional in every respect”.

Egypt made history by reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time. They then defeated Australia on penalties in the last 32 before their campaign ended with a 3-2 defeat by Argentina in the last 16.

Writing on his official Instagram account on Monday, Infantino highlighted the significance of Egypt’s progress and their first victory at the tournament.

“Egypt made history at the 2026 World Cup in North America, achieving an unprecedented qualification beyond the group stage and their first-ever victory in the competition, making it an exceptional participation in every respect for the Pharaohs,” he said.

The FIFA president also paid tribute to the support received by the Egypt team throughout the tournament, saying their passionate fans had helped create an impressive atmosphere at every venue where they played.

“The Egyptian team brought joy and happiness to the hearts of their passionate supporters, who added great excitement and created wonderful atmospheres in every stadium where the team played its matches,” Infantino added.

Although Egypt had previously appeared at the World Cup, the 2026 tournament marked the first time they had advanced beyond the group stage. Their progress continued with a penalty shootout victory over Australia in the last 32, putting them into the last 16 for the first time.

Argentina ultimately ended their run after a closely fought match, winning 3-2 to secure Egypt’s elimination from the competition.

Infantino concluded his message by expressing his hope that Egypt would return to the global stage before long.

“We look forward eagerly to seeing them back on the world stage again in the near future,” he said.

The comments underline the importance of Egypt’s campaign, which combined a historic passage through the group stage with a first World Cup victory and a place among the last 16 teams in the tournament. Their run ended against Argentina, but FIFA president Infantino said the Pharaohs had left a strong impression through both their results and the backing they received from their supporters.