On July 10, 2026, hundreds of enthusiastic fans gathered at El-Alamein International Airport to greet the Egyptian national football team. The squad returned home following their most successful World Cup run to date, which concluded in a narrow round-of-16 defeat to Argentina.
Dressed in the national colors of red, white, and black, supporters cheered as the team, led by Mohamed Salah, boarded an open-top bus for a parade through the city. Fans waved both Egyptian and Palestinian flags, honoring a gesture made by coach Hossam Hassan during the tournament.
The Pharaohs achieved their first World Cup victory and reached the knockout stages for the first time after a penalty shootout win against Australia. Although they led 2-0 against Argentina, the defending champions fought back to win 3-2. Despite the loss, fans remained festive, singing and holding signs that expressed pride in the players’ historic achievements.
Mohamed Salah pledged on social media to build upon this momentum for the future of Egyptian football. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is slated to meet the team on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Football Association has filed a formal complaint regarding the officiating of the Argentina match, though FIFA officials have dismissed the claims.
