Egypt National Team Returns Home After Reaching World Cup Last 16

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside an airport in el-Alamein on Friday to welcome Egypt's national football team after its round-of-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup. The crowd waved Egyptian and Palestinian flags as the players boarded an open-top bus for a parade through the coastal city.

Supporters sang patriotic songs and wore shirts bearing the name of team captain Mohamed Salah. Egypt recorded its first World Cup win at the tournament and advanced to the last 16 after defeating Australia on penalties. The team led Argentina 2-0 before the defending champions completed a 3-2 comeback.

Gehad told AFP he was happy with the team's performance. Another fan, Eyad Ahmed, said the squad had reached a stage it had never reached before. Mohamed Salah wrote on social media that he would work to make the result a new beginning for Egyptian football. The Egyptian Football Association lodged a complaint over the officiating in the Argentina match.

Hassan waved a Palestinian flag after Egypt's win over Australia and dedicated the result to the Palestinian people. Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza watched the team's matches in makeshift viewing areas. A senior member of an Egyptian aid organization who organized World Cup screenings in Gaza was killed in an Israeli air strike earlier in the week, along with three others including two children, according to medics.