CAIRO (AP) — A small Cairo coffee house was transformed Tuesday into something resembling a miniature stadium, packed with several hundred people — mostly men and boys as young as 7 — all eyes fixed on wall-mounted screens before kickoff.
That same electric atmosphere repeated itself across the soccer-obsessed nation as Egypt squared off against the reigning World Cup champion in a round-of-16 matchup held in Atlanta.
For millions of Egyptians, it was a landmark occasion — even as their team’s remarkable journey came to a close with a 2-3 defeat to Argentina on Tuesday.
“It’s a brutal scenario,” said Ahmed Saadany, a teacher, reflecting on the outcome. “The journey shouldn’t have ended that way.”
Led by star player Mohamed Salah, Egypt had punched its ticket to the round of 16 by defeating Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw in the round of 32 on Friday. The Pharaohs had secured second place in Group G, behind Belgium, to advance to the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
Anticipation for Tuesday’s match began building well before the 7 p.m. local kickoff. Rows of plastic and wooden chairs were arranged in front of TV screens as fans poured into hundreds of thousands of coffee houses and fan zones throughout Egypt. Street vendors hawked Egyptian flags, whistles, and team merchandise in squares and along major roads.
All day long, Egyptian flags flew from cars and balconies, and conversations in coffee houses, markets, and on television revolved around the national team’s performance and the high-stakes showdown with Argentina.
“Overall, the performance was excellent,” said Hassan Shehata, settling into a seat at a packed Cairo coffee house before the game. “We’re developing. We play and compete.”
This was Egypt’s fourth World Cup appearance, and it marked the best run ever for the most populous Arab nation — a country that has claimed seven Africa Cup of Nations titles. The 2026 tournament saw the Pharaohs break their long-standing curse of never winning a World Cup match, starting with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand and culminating in their first-ever knockout stage appearance.
“It was a dream,” said Rami Saeed, a 23-year-old university student. “(Coach) Hossam Hassan and his team have beaten our expectations.”
At a packed coffee house in Giza, fans draped themselves in Egyptian flags and chanted “Masr, Masr, Masr!” — the Arabic word for Egypt — while others banged on drums. The crowd erupted when Egypt found the net and again when the Egyptian goalkeeper stopped a penalty kick from Messi. But each time Argentina scored, a heavy silence fell over the room.
Though disappointed by the final result, fans were quick to point to the team’s historic achievement with a sense of pride.
“It’s injustice,” cried Haitham Raafat, a 13-year-old boy, breaking into tears after the final whistle. “The referee wasn’t fair.”
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi praised the squad’s “unprecedented accomplishment in the history of Egyptian football.” In a social media post, he wrote: “Thank you to the heroes of the national football team. We are proud of you, and your achievement.”
Shaban Youssef, a 45-year-old mechanical engineer, said he too felt proud of the team. “They held our heads high, especially Hossam Hassan’s support of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Egypt’s head coach Hassan used the World Cup stage to publicly advocate for Palestinians during an impassioned pregame news conference. When asked about his feelings after wrapping a Palestinian flag around himself following Egypt’s win over Australia, Hassan delivered a more than four-minute response to applause from the gathered media.
“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” Hassan said.
His remarks drew widespread praise from Egyptians on social media. Prominent novelist Ezzat el-Kamhawi captured the sentiment in a Facebook post ahead of Tuesday’s game: “Whatever the result, our team plays tonight, and the championship is already in their pocket, thanks to Hossam Hassan’s goal against Zionism.”
During Egypt’s World Cup matches, hundreds of war-weary Palestinians crowded around TV screens in makeshift shelters throughout the Gaza Strip to cheer on the Pharaohs. They gathered outside their shelters, chanting, clapping, and waving Egyptian flags as patriotic Egyptian songs played in the background.
“It’s a duty to support Egypt,” said Soliman Salem, a young Palestinian man, speaking by phone from his shelter in Gaza after Tuesday’s match. “We’re very sad, but proud of the Egyptians.”
Another Gaza resident, Abdel-Rahman Baroud, said they had hoped Egypt would advance further, but “luck wasn’t on their side in the second half.” “We all return home, disappointed,” he said.
