Thousands of Egyptian football fans gathered on Friday to welcome the national team home following their historic run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to defending champions Argentina in the Round of 16.
Supporters thronged El-Alamein Airport, waving Egyptian flags and photographs of captain Mohamed Salah while celebrating the team’s achievement of reaching the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.
The Pharaohs booked their place in the last 16 after defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties, with Salah playing a key role in the victory.
The team is expected to meet President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Saturday. In a message released earlier this week, the Egyptian leader praised the players for their “honourable performance” and congratulated them on achieving what he described as an unprecedented milestone for Egyptian football.
The dramatic defeat to Argentina sparked emotional scenes across Egypt, where fans gathered in homes, cafés and public viewing centres to watch the match. Streets and buildings were decorated with Egyptian flags as supporters rallied behind the national team.
Following the defeat, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) formally criticised the officiating, expressing dissatisfaction with several refereeing decisions, including the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Head coach Hossam Hassan and several players questioned key decisions after Argentina staged a remarkable comeback, scoring three unanswered goals in the closing stages to overturn a two-goal deficit.
In a statement, the EFA said protecting the rights and interests of the national team remained a priority and called for a review of the officiating during the match.
Responding to the controversy, FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, defended the match officials, saying debates over refereeing decisions are part of football but stressing that allegations questioning the integrity of referees were unacceptable.
Collina warned that unfounded accusations could expose referees and their families to threats, insisting that FIFA remained committed to protecting its officials.
