Egypt claim their first World Cup win after roaring from behind to beat New Zealand
Egypt secured their first-ever World Cup victory by defeating New Zealand 3-1 in a Group G match. Mohamed Salah played a pivotal role in the second-half comeback, moving Egypt to the top of their group.
Why it matters
This victory marks a historic milestone for Egyptian football on the global stage and significantly impacts the standings for the 2026 World Cup knockout phase.
Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring Egypt’s second goal in the 3-1 World Cup Group G clash against New Zealand. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters View image in fullscreen Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring Egypt’s second goal in the 3-1 World Cup Group G clash against New Zealand. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters World Cup 2026 Egypt claim their first World Cup win after roaring from behind to beat New Zealand Reuters Sun 21 Jun 2026 23.11 EDT Last modified on Mon 22 Jun 2026 10.43 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google Mohamed Salah inspired Egypt to their first ever World Cup win as they came from a goal down to beat New Zealand 3-1 with a superb second-half display, moving top of Group G and boosting their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
The article provides a straightforward, factual account of a sporting event.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in