Egypt celebrated a landmark moment on Monday morning, June 22, 2026, when it beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver for its first-ever World Cup victory. The result moved the Pharaohs to the top of Group Z with four points and put them within touching distance of the knockout stage at the 2026 World Cup.
The win came 82 years after Egypt’s only previous World Cup appearance, in Italy in 1934, and after its return in 1990 and a disappointing 2018 campaign, when it finished with zero points. Egypt started nervously and conceded first, but grew stronger as the match went on and dominated the second half, turning missed chances from the first period into goals after the break.
Mohamed Salah was the standout figure. He scored in the 67th minute and also provided an assist, sparking the crowd and the Egyptian celebrations. It was his 68th goal for Egypt, leaving him one behind the national team’s all-time scoring record of 69 held by his coach, Hossam Hassan. The report noted that Salah, widely regarded as the greatest Arab footballer ever and perhaps Egypt’s greatest player, was not at his best against Belgium either, but came alive when it mattered.
New Zealand briefly led through Finn Surman’s goal from a corner, but could not sustain its momentum and faded badly in the second half. Egypt now faces Iran on Saturday, June 27, and a win would secure its place in the round of 16. New Zealand will have a far tougher path and will need to upset Belgium to keep its hopes alive.