Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has written a new chapter in his managerial career with the national team, guiding the Pharaohs to their best-ever World Cup campaign ahead of their highly anticipated clash with Argentina on Tuesday evening in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Since taking charge of Egypt in February 2024, Hassan has restored the team’s confidence and results, relying on tactical discipline, strong organisation and fighting spirit.
Under his leadership, Egypt qualified for the World Cup without suffering a single defeat in the qualifiers, before going on to achieve several historic milestones during the tournament.
Hassan’s record with the national team reflects the progress Egypt have made under his management. He has led the Pharaohs in 34 matches across all competitions, winning 20, drawing nine and losing five.
During that period, Egypt scored 57 goals and conceded 29, showing clear improvement in both attacking performance and defensive structure.
The Pharaohs also achieved their first-ever World Cup victory under Hassan, beating New Zealand 3-1 in the group stage.
Egypt then recorded another historic achievement by securing their first-ever victory in the knockout stages of the World Cup, defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw following regular and extra time.
Egypt will now face defending champions Argentina at 7pm on Tuesday at Atlanta Stadium in the United States, in a Round of 16 match that could take the Pharaohs to another unprecedented stage in their World Cup journey.
The match will be officiated by French referee Francois Letexier, who was born in 1989 and took charge of his first French Ligue 1 match in 2016.
The Egypt-Argentina clash will be Letexier’s third appearance at the current World Cup, after previously officiating Ecuador against Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia against Cape Verde.
Egypt will be without Ahmed Fattouh and Mohamed Abdelmonem due to injury, while Mohanad Lasheen returns to the squad after serving a suspension for receiving two yellow cards.
The Pharaohs reached the Round of 16 for the first time in their history after overcoming Australia in a penalty shootout.
Argentina also qualified for the same round after a dramatic 3-2 victory over Cape Verde following extra time, in a match that exposed some defensive weaknesses in the Tango side.
Egypt had finished second in Group G with five points, level with Belgium but behind them on goal difference, before continuing their historic run in the first World Cup edition to feature 48 teams and a newly introduced Round of 32.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July, with 48 teams taking part for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The expanded format includes 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group qualify, along with the eight best third-placed teams, creating a Round of 32 for the first time.
The tournament features 104 matches, and the eventual champion must play eight games to win the title.
The Round of 32 was held from 28 June to 3 July, followed by the Round of 16 from 4 to 7 July.
The quarter-finals will take place from 9 to 11 July, while the semi-finals are scheduled for 14 and 15 July.
The third-place match will be played on 18 July in Miami, before the final takes place on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Sixteen cities are hosting the tournament: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Boston and New York/New Jersey in the United States; Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; and Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara in Mexico.
The tournament has also witnessed record Arab participation, with eight Arab national teams competing: Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia and Jordan.
For Hossam Hassan, the Argentina match represents another defining test. For Egypt, it is a chance to continue a historic World Cup run and move one step closer to a dream quarter-final appearance.
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