Arab Teams at World Cup 2026: Egypt and Morocco Shine as a Mixed Campaign Unfolds
Seven Arab nations at the 2026 World Cup — Egypt and Morocco are flourishing while Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq and Qatar face early exits. A comprehensive overview.
Seven Arab nations. Seven stories. One shared dream at the 2026 World Cup in North America. The halfway point of the group stage tells a clear story: two nations thriving, five struggling.
The Shining Lights: Egypt and Morocco
Egypt lead Group G with four points, powered by an unstoppable Mohamed Salah. Morocco sit second in Group C with four points, following a draw against Brazil and a gritty win over Scotland. Both nations approach their final group game in a position of strength.
Hanging On: Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Saudi Arabia (1 pt) showed promise against Uruguay before being hammered 0-4 by Spain. Qatar (1 pt) drew with Switzerland before being humbled 0-6 by Canada. Both face one last chance to save something from their campaigns.
Early Exits: Iraq, Algeria, Jordan
Iraq lost 1-4 to Norway. Algeria were outclassed 0-3 by Argentina. Jordan, in their historic first World Cup, fell 1-3 to Austria. All three are mathematically out of contention but play on for pride and experience.
Summary Table
| Nation | Points | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 4 | Qualified ✅ |
| Morocco | 4 | Near-qualified ✅ |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | At risk ⚠️ |
| Qatar | 1 | At risk ⚠️ |
| Iraq | 0 | Eliminated ❌ |
| Algeria | 0 | Eliminated ❌ |
| Jordan | 0 | Eliminated ❌ |
