Australia and Egypt are preparing for a closely contested match in the Round of 32.

Australia face Egypt in the 2026 World Cup last 16 on 4 July at the stadium in Dallas, Arlington, Texas.

The Socceroos reached the knockout stage as runners-up in Group D, following a 2-0 win over Turkey, a 2-0 loss to the United States and a 0-0 draw with Paraguay. Tony Popovic’s side have leaned on a compact, organised approach, with their three-man defence, led by Harry Souttar, giving them height, strength and aerial presence.

In midfield, Jackson Irvine and Aiden O’Neill have provided industry, while Nestory Irankunda, Christian Volpato and Connor Metcalfe offer attacking options.

Egypt also advanced unbeaten after taking five points in Group G. They drew 1-1 with Belgium, beat New Zealand 3-1 and shared a 1-1 draw with Iran to finish second behind Belgium.

The focus will be on Mohamed Salah. The 34-year-old scored once and set up two goals in the group stage, but his hamstring issue against Iran has raised questions over his fitness. The Guardian reported that Salah has trained with the squad and is available, but Hossam Hassan is still unsure whether he will start or come off the bench.