Argentina’s defense of the FIFA World Cup title hangs in the balance on Tuesday when they face Egypt in a Round of 16 showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta. Kickoff is at 12 p.m ET. The defending champions barely survived their Round of 32 tie against Cape Verde, needing an own goal in the 111th minute to edge 3-2 in extra time. Egypt came off the back of a penalty shootout win over Australia, a historic result that gave them their first ever World Cup knockout win.
When and Where: Argentina vs. Egypt in the 2026 World Cup?**
The game begins on Tuesday, July 7, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Here are the start times for the regions.US ET: 12 pmUK BST: 5 pmIndia IST: 9:30 pmAustralia AEST: Wednesday, July 8, 2 am
how to: Watch Argentina vs Egypt live: ?
UK viewers can catch the game on ITV1. In the United States, it airs on Fox and Telemundo. Indian fans can watch on Zee5, while Australian viewers can watch on SBS. US streaming options include YouTube TV, DirecTV, and Peacock. YouTube TV is currently available for $67.99 per month for the first five months, with a 21-day free trial offered. ESPN’s live tracker is also available for the likes of text updates.Viewers outside their country can use a VPN like ExpressVPN to access geo-restricted broadcasts by virtually moving their location.
What are the predicted lines for Argentina and Egypt?
Lionel Scaloni had some health concerns heading into it, with Nico Gonzalez and Facundo Medina carrying minor knocks. Assuming they can’t do it, Argentina will likely line up in a 4-4-2 with Emiliano Martinez in goal, a back four of Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Tagliafico, a midfield of De Paul, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Almada, and Messi with Lautaro Martinez up front.Egypt will miss Ahmed Fatouh and Mohamed Abdelmoneim. Hossam Hassan is expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 with Mostafa Shoubir in goal, Salah occupying the right side of a three-man attack behind lone striker Mostafa Zico, and Emam Ashour operating centrally.Argentina predicted XI (4-4-2).Emiliano Martínez, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Tagliafico, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis McAllister, Enzo Fernández, Thiago Almada, Lionel Messi, Lautaro MartínezEgypt predicted XI (4-2-3-1).Mostafa Shoubir; Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Ramy Rabia, Karim Hafez; Hamdy Fathy, Marawan Attia; Emam Ashour, Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush; Mostafa Zico
Can Egypt really beat Argentina in the 2026 World Cup?
On paper, Egypt doesn’t need to be in this conversation. But then again, neither is Cape Verde, and they’re about to topple the world champions.Argentina’s recent games have exposed something that Scaloni probably doesn’t want to talk about. his side defends uncomfortably when pressed by the pace of the wings. Cape Verde attacked the exact spots and came within minutes of pulling off the biggest upset in World Cup history. Egypt have Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, two forwards who can do that, and Emam Ashour operating in the pockets behind them adds a real dimension that Argentina’s defense will struggle to track.Egypt is also not burdened with expectation. They have made history by reaching the Round of 16, then winning it. Reaching the quarterfinals by knocking out the champions is fantastic in theory, but not so much after what Cape Verde so nearly managed.
Is Messi enough, or does Argentina need more?
Messi is their best player in this tournament, full stop. He scored a stunning opener against Cape Verde and produced the cross that led to the decisive own goal. Without him, Argentina looks uncertain.But that’s also part of the problem. Scaloni has built everything around Messi to such a degree that players like Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, both proven match winners, seem to fade into the background when he is on the pitch. Getting that balance right in the knockout rounds isn’t just a tactical question. It could define whether Argentina make it to the final or fail it.