Argentina vs Egypt prediction, tips and odds | World Cup 2026

Argentina return to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday when they face Egypt at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The defending champions sailed through Group J with a perfect nine points from three matches, scoring 11 goals in the process. Seven of those were scored by Lionel Messi, who has broken the all-time World Cup goalscoring record with 20 career goals at the tournament.

Egypt, ranked 24th in the world, are through to the knockout rounds for the first time in their history after finishing second in Group G before surviving a penalty shootout against Australia in the round of 32.

Mohamed Salah has been carrying a minor hamstring strain that limited his effectiveness in that 120-minute ordeal, and the Pharaohs face a rapid turnaround with just three days between matches, raising serious questions about their capacity to compete against the world's second-ranked side.

Argentina vs Egypt form and preview

Lionel Scaloni's side have been in ominous form throughout this tournament, and Messi has been the story of the competition so far. His hat-trick in the 3-0 opening win over Algeria drew him level with Miroslav Klose's all-time record, and a brace against Austria took him clear. He then scored from the bench against Jordan and netted the opener against Cape Verde in the round of 32, extending his run to eight consecutive World Cup matches with a goal.

The Cape Verde encounter, however, exposed a deeper issue within this Argentina side. Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but the 64th-ranked minnows equalised through Deroy Duarte just before the hour mark, and the match required extra time before Argentina eventually prevailed 3-2. The expected goals figure for the 90 minutes stood at just 1.67, a worryingly low number for a team of Argentina's calibre.

Lisandro Martinez headed home from a Messi corner to restore Argentina's lead in the 92nd minute, but Sidny Cabral struck a worldie from range to restore parity again. However, another Messi corner produced the decisive goal in the 111th minute, bouncing in off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges.

Outside of set pieces and Messi's individual brilliance, Argentina's creative output has been a concern. Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez have yet to hit their stride in this tournament, and the midfield has looked reliant on Messi dropping deep to initiate attacks. At 39, Messi played 120 minutes against Cape Verde and now faces another match with a similarly compressed recovery window, which places a physical question mark over the one player Argentina cannot afford to lose.

The best sites to bet on the World Cup have Argentina priced as heavy favourites, with the implied probability of a 90-minute victory sitting around 74%. That is difficult to argue against given the talent gap, though Scaloni may need to rotate to manage fatigue, which could blunt his side's attacking output.

Egypt have made history simply by reaching this stage. Before this tournament, the Pharaohs had never won a match at a World Cup, a record stretching back to their only previous appearances in 1934 and 1990, plus a group-stage exit in 2018. Hossam Hassan's side changed that with a dramatic 3-1 comeback victory over New Zealand, in which Mostafa Ziko, Mohamed Salah and Trezeguet all scored in the second half after falling behind.

Their path through Group G was built on defensive discipline rather than attacking firepower. Emam Ashour's superb 20-yard strike gave them the lead against Belgium in the opening match, but Mohamed Hany's own goal in the 66th minute brought it back to 1-1, and Egypt have not led a match at full time since the New Zealand win. The 1-1 draw with Iran was followed by another 1-1 against Australia in the round of 32, with Hany scoring a second own goal of the tournament before Egypt netted all four of their penalties in a 4-2 shootout triumph.

Fatigue is the decisive factor working against Hassan's squad. Egypt played 120 minutes in Dallas on Friday and now travel to Atlanta for a Tuesday kickoff. Argentina similarly went to extra time against Cape Verde, but Scaloni has considerably greater depth at his disposal, with the likes of Julian Alvarez, Giovani Lo Celso and Nico Paz available as fresh legs off the bench or from the start.

Egypt have scored six goals in four World Cup matches at this tournament, but three of those came in a single game against New Zealand. The Pharaohs have scored a solitary goal in each of their other three fixtures, with Salah directly involved in the buildup for two of those goals scored by Ashour. If Salah's threat is nullified, Egypt's entire attacking structure suffers, leaving Omar Marmoush isolated at the top.

The Pharaohs' best chance of an upset lies in keeping the game tight, frustrating Argentina and hoping for a set-piece opportunity or a counter-attacking moment of quality. Ashour has shown his goal threat from range and from headers, and Marmoush's pace in transition could trouble an Argentine defence that looked vulnerable against Cape Verde's directness.

Team news: Argentina vs Egypt

Argentina

The primary concern is workload management after 120 minutes against Cape Verde, though Scaloni rotated during the group stage and has the resources to make targeted changes without weakening his starting side.

Facundo Medina and Enzo Fernandez both battled muscle cramps during the win over Cape Verde and will be assessed ahead of kickoff, though both are expected to be fit enough to feature. Nicolas Gonzalez twisted his ankle in extra time and is a minor doubt, though he could also be available if required.

The biggest question is whether Scaloni opts for Nicolas Tagliafico at left-back in place of Medina, which would offer greater experience and defensive solidity in a knockout fixture where control matters more than adventure.

Leandro Paredes could return to the midfield alongside Enzo Fernandez, offering a deeper shield in front of the back four. Julian Alvarez could partner Messi up front, with Thiago Almada on the left of midfield and Rodrigo De Paul on the right. Lautaro Martinez, who started against Cape Verde, may drop to the bench as Scaloni adjusts the balance.

Egypt

Salah played for 120 minutes against Australia having previously suffered a hamstring strain against Iran in the group stage. While his fitness will be monitored, Salah is still expected to start as captain for Egypt. The 34-year-old has created the joint-most chances at this summer's World Cup, with 16 alongside Belgium's Leandro Trossard, and his absence would fundamentally alter the Pharaohs' attacking threat.

Karim Hafez was forced off against Australia with a muscle problem and has emerged as a doubt for this fixture. Fellow defenders Ahmed Fatouh (thigh) and Mohamed Abdelmonem (ankle) will also be assessed ahead of kickoff, leaving Hassan with potential selection headaches across the backline.

Mohanad Lasheen served a suspension for the Australia fixture, but the midfielder is available to return in the double pivot alongside Marwan Attia. Mohamed Hany, despite his two own goals in the tournament, is expected to keep the right-back position due to a lack of alternatives. That vulnerability at set pieces is something Argentina are well-equipped to exploit.

Argentina vs Egypt predicted lineups

Argentina predicted XI (4-4-2): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Thiago Almada; Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi.

Egypt predicted XI (4-3-1-2): Mostafa Shobeir; Mohamed Hany, Hamdy Fathy, Yasser Ibrahim, Ramy Rabia; Emam Ashour, Mohanad Lasheen, Marwan Attia; Mostafa Ziko; Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush.

Head-to-head: Argentina vs Egypt

The two nations have met only once at senior international level. Argentina won 2-0 in a friendly in Cairo on 26 March 2008, and the teams have never previously been drawn against one another at a World Cup. That 18-year gap makes the historical record effectively irrelevant for predictive purposes, given entirely different squads, managers and tactical approaches on both sides.

Argentina have a strong recent record against African sides at World Cups, winning seven consecutive matches since a shock 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the opening fixture of the 1990 tournament. The brand new betting sites emerging around the World Cup reflect that pedigree, though Egypt's defensive structure makes this a distinct proposition from the more open encounters Argentina have experienced against other African opponents.

Messi was in the Argentina squad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the two football cultures intersected at youth level, but the senior teams have rarely crossed paths. This is a genuinely fresh fixture, with no tactical templates from recent meetings to draw upon.

Our Argentina vs Egypt prediction and tips

bet365 price Argentina as clear favourites in this fixture, and the market reflects a significant quality gap between the two squads. For those interested in how bet365 structure their World Cup markets, our bet365 review provides a detailed breakdown of their football offering, and their bet365 sign up offer is available for new customers ahead of the knockout rounds.