Art & Culture

Here’s Where All the Arab Teams Stand After the First Week of the World Cup

BYYassine Hariss

June 18, 2026

The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is currently underway in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With the opening games now behind us, all eight Arab nations have finally had the chance to test themselves on football’s biggest stage. And while the sample size remains small, the first week has already offered a clearer picture of which teams look capable of making it through the group stages and which may be facing an uphill battle to stay alive.

Keep reading for a breakdown of each qualified nation’s status in the quadrennial tournament so far.

Morocco

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Morocco remains the region’s standout performer. Fresh off their historic semi-final run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar four-years-ago, the Atlas Lions picked up a valuable point against Brazil, reinforcing the idea that they belong among the competition’s dark horses. Winger Ismail Saibari opened the scoring with a clever dink over the goalkeeper from just outside the box, giving Morocco an early lead before Brazil found an equalizer ten minutes later. Far from being intimidated by one of football’s historic powerhouses — who happen to also be the most titled nation to this day with five World Cup trophies — the North African Kingdom matched their South American counterparts stride for stride, delivering one of the most, if not the, most entertaining and competitive fixtures of the tournament’s first week.

Algeria

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With so much hope placed on Algeria ahead of their first World Cup appearance since 2018, the Desert Foxes endured a difficult return to the competition, falling 3-0 to reigning champions Argentina. The match belonged entirely to Lionel Messi, who scored the first World Cup hat-trick of his career and dealt a significant blow to Algeria’s hopes of progressing from the group stage. The result could have looked slightly different had Messi been punished for a high challenge on defender Aïssa Mandi; the Argentine captain avoided a booking after catching his opponent with his studs raised. Algeria may have entered the record books, but not for the reasons they would have hoped as the iconic No. 10 became the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer that same night.

Tunisia

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What on earth is going on with Tunisia? Entering the tournament fresh off a bruising 5-0 defeat to Belgium in a pre-World Cup friendly, confidence was already in short supply. Their opener against Sweden looked, on paper at least, like a far more manageable assignment. Instead, the Eagles of Carthage somehow managed to concede another five, falling 5-1 in a result that has left their World Cup campaign hanging by a thread.

To make matters worse, two of Sweden’s goals came courtesy of a player of Tunisian descent, Yasin Ayari, adding an extra layer of pain to an already miserable evening. And if conceding ten goals across two matches wasn’t enough, the federation responded by sacking head coach Sabri Lamouchi after just five games in charge — a fittingly recurring number in what has become a disastrous few weeks for Tunisian football. Now, in a move that feels like an emergency measure and a last throw of the dice, the federation has turned to former Morocco coach Hervé Renard on an interim basis. The Frenchman arrives with a reputation for rescuing struggling sides and engineering tournament upsets, but even he faces a monumental task. It’s worth remembering that Renard was also the man on the touchline when Saudi Arabia handed Argentina a surprising loss at the 2022 World Cup.

Egypt

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We all thought Egypt were finally about to claim their first-ever World Cup victory. They even took the lead against Belgium through a stunning strike, briefly putting one of Europe’s heavyweights on the ropes and sending supporters into dreamland. Unfortunately, the lead did not last as an unfortunate own goal allowed Belgium back into the match, forcing Egypt to settle for a draw. Even so, there was plenty to be encouraged by. Against a side packed with players who have spent the past decade competing at the highest level of European football, Egypt looked composed, confident and, most importantly, competitive.

If anything, the result reinforced one of football’s oldest truths: reputations do not win matches, performances do. The Pharaohs showed they belong on this stage and proved they are capable of going toe-to-toe with teams many had written off as superior on paper. Based on what we’ve seen so far, a place in the knockout rounds remains a very realistic objective.

Jordan

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Though they announced themselves with a stunning goal in their first-ever World Cup match, Jordan ultimately proved no match for Austria, falling 3-1 in a respectable defeat. But expectations are different for the Levantine Kingdom. Simply reaching the tournament already represented a historic achievement for a nation making its World Cup debut, and scoring on football’s biggest stage only added another memorable chapter to the story.

The team’s journey carries additional significance given the number of players of Palestinian descent within the squad, making their presence at the tournament feel meaningful beyond footballing results alone. Led by Jamal Sellami — the first Moroccan to appear at the World Cup as both a player and a coach — Jordan have approached the competition with the same resilience that carried them all the way to the 2023 Asian Cup final. Realistically, their chances of escaping the group remain slim, especially with Argentina and Algeria still to come. But considering how few gave them any chance of competing at this level, Jordan have exceeded expectations so far.

Iraq

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If there was one Arab team that desperately needed a positive start, it was Iraq. Between visa complications, travel disruptions, and a group featuring France, Senegal, and Norway, the Lions of Mesopotamia were dealt one of the tournament’s tougher hands before a ball had even been kicked. Unfortunately, things only got tougher once the football started. A 4-1 defeat to Norway has left them bottom of Group I after one matchday, with virtually no chance of making it through the group stages. That said, expectations around this Iraqi side have been a little different this time around. Their qualification alone was cause for celebration, marking the nation’s first World Cup appearance in four decades and bringing an end to a 40-year wait.

Qatar

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Four years after the nightmare of hosting their own World Cup and losing all three group-stage matches, Qatar seem determined not to repeat history. A hard-fought 1-1 draw against Switzerland may not have grabbed many headlines, but it was exactly the sort of result they needed to prove their Asian Cup triumphs were no fluke. More importantly, the point keeps qualification very much alive. With Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina still to come, Qatar arguably have one of the more manageable paths among the Arab nations.

Saudi Arabia

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Never underestimate Saudi Arabia at a World Cup. Four years after stunning Argentina in what remains one of the greatest upsets in tournament history, the Green Falcons once again showed they’re capable of making life difficult for anyone, holding Uruguay to a 1-1 draw in their opening fixture. The result leaves Saudi Arabia in a surprisingly strong position heading into matches against Spain and Cape Verde. While most people will naturally focus on the showdown with the Spaniards, the real opportunity may come on the final match day against their African counterparts. Pick three points against the latter and suddenly qualification becomes a very realistic possibility.

Here’s Where All the Arab Teams Stand After the First Week of the World Cup

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Here’s Where All the Arab Teams Stand After the First Week of the World Cup

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