The competition to reach the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup is heating up. The Egyptian national team became the latest contestant to secure a spot in the round of 16 after winning a fierce duel against Australia. The tightly contested match ended in a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes, forcing both teams to settle the match via a penalty shootout. Egypt finally secured their passage after winning 4-2 on penalties.
With this success, Egypt completes the list of 14 countries that have confirmed their qualification for the next round. This victory also paves the way for Egypt to challenge the winner of the match between Argentina and Cape Verde, scheduled for Saturday (4/7) morning WIB at Miami Stadium.
Prior to Egypt's success, several other favorite nations had already locked in their positions in the round of 16. The complete list of countries that have secured their qualification includes Canada, Brazil, Paraguay, Morocco, Norway, France, Mexico, England, Belgium, the United States, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and now Egypt.
The presence of these major teams is predicted to make the 2026 World Cup round of 16 a much more competitive stage. Football fans around the world are now eagerly awaiting the knockout stage fixture schedule, which will be released soon following the completion of all group stage matches.
