Egypt booked a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Iran in their final Group G match, while Iran were left waiting to learn if they would qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
The match ended in heartbreak for Iran after Shojae Khalilzadeh thought he had scored a stoppage-time winner, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside. The decision denied Iran an automatic place in the knockout stage.
Both teams finished with five points, but Belgium claimed top spot in Group G after a 5-1 win over New Zealand. Egypt finished second on goal difference and will now face Australia in the Round of 32.
Iran finished third and are still in a strong position to qualify. Current projections give them a 92 percent chance of reaching the knockout stage for the first time in World Cup history.
Iran created the better chances despite Egypt enjoying more possession. Ramin Rezaeian scored for Iran and was later named Player of the Match, but he accepted the award with little joy after the late VAR decision.
There was also concern for Egypt after captain Mohamed Salah left the pitch in the 57th minute and received treatment on his leg while sitting on the bench. Defender Mohamed Abdelmonem had already gone off injured in the opening stages of the match.
The result also marked a historic achievement for Egypt. They completed the group stage unbeaten and reached the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in the nation’s history. They have also gone three straight World Cup matches without defeat for the first time.
Iran’s players were left in tears after the final whistle, while head coach Amir Ghalenoei sat alone in the dugout as his side now waits for the remaining group-stage results to confirm whether their World Cup journey will continue.
