Art & Culture

Egypt Secures Historic First-Ever World Cup Victory

BYYassine Hariss

June 22, 2026

Nearly a century after becoming the first Arab nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, Egypt has secured its first-ever victory in the competition. After four appearances—the first in 1934 after withdrawing from the inaugural edition for non-sporting reasons—the Pharaohs ended a nine-decade drought with a 3-1 win over New Zealand on matchday two.

With four points from their opening two matches, Egypt currently tops its group, which includes Iran, Belgium, and New Zealand. With three different players scoring—Mostafa Zico in the 58th minute, captain Mohamed Salah shortly after, and Trezeguet in the 82nd—the Pharaohs rallied from a first-half deficit to secure the historic win. Having gone into the break 1-0 down, Egypt produced a composed second-half comeback to push the match to their favor.

After the final whistle, the celebrations continued well beyond the stadium. Led by Salah, several members of the Egyptian squad were spotted near their hotel in Vancouver dancing and singing along with fans as music blasted from a Bluetooth speaker. And they had every right to.

Mo Salah dancing on the streets of Vancouver with fans, after he scores to help Egypt win their first ever World Cup game

Is right lad pic.twitter.com/PeYnhUCacE

— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) June 22, 2026

Often criticized despite boasting one of the most talented squads in the country’s history, this generation of Egyptian players has struggled to live up to the standards set by the team that dominated the African continent in the late 2000s, winning three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Comparisons have followed them throughout much of the past decade, particularly as a golden generation led by Salah has repeatedly failed to deliver a major trophy.

Granted, this victory will not erase those disappointments, nor will it suddenly place this team alongside Egypt’s greatest sides. Yet it still does give them something no previous Egyptian squad could claim: they are the first to win a match at the FIFA World Cup; however modest the achievement may seem.

For Salah, the moment carries an added layer of significance. At 34, and with the latter stages of his career now clearly in sight, this could well be one of his final major tournaments representing his home country. Having already cemented his place among the country’s greatest-ever players, international success remains one of the few boxes left unchecked. Whether this World Cup ultimately delivers that glory remains to be seen, but securing Egypt’s first-ever victory on football’s biggest stage is something he can adamantly be proud of.

Egypt Secures Historic First-Ever World Cup Victory

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Egypt Secures Historic First-Ever World Cup Victory

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