World Cup 2026: Australia in 3-4-2-1 against Egypt’s 4-2-3-1 as Salah starts

Australia face Egypt in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 at Dallas Stadium, with Tony Popovic's side in a 3-4-2-1 and Mohamed Salah starting for Hossam Hassan's 4-2-3-1 lineup.

Henry DONCHE

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On 3 Jul 2026 at 18:33 Updated 3 Jul 2026

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Illustration du match Australie VS Égypte, le 03/07/2026 19:00, stade Dallas Stadium

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The 2026 World Cup round-of-16 match between Australia and Egypt will take place on July 3 at 7:00 p.m. local time GMT+1 at Dallas Stadium. This knockout clash brings the two national teams to a decisive stage of the tournament, where victory is essential to continue their World Cup campaign.

Both teams have revealed their official lineups for this fixture. Australia, led by Tony Popovic, have opted for a 3-4-2-1 system, while Hossam Hassan’s Egypt line up in a 4-2-3-1. The clash is expected to be tactical and technical, with the teams relying on several key players to prevail in a high-pressure setting.

For Australia, goalkeeper Patrick Beach will start between the posts. The three-man defence will feature Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington. The midfield is made up of Jordan Bos, Aiden O’Neill, Jackson Irvine and Aziz Behich, tasked with both ball recovery and distribution. In attack, Cristian Volpato and Connor Metcalfe will operate in support of centre-forward Nestory Irankunda.

For Egypt, goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir will start. The four-man defensive line will include Mohamed Hany, Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim and Karim Hafez. The midfield double pivot will pair Marwan Attia and Mahmoud Saber, while the attacking trio of Emam Ashour, Mostafa Ziko and Mohamed Salah will support striker Omar Marmoush. Mohamed Salah, despite a recent strain, will indeed start the match and represents a major asset for Egypt.

How Australia’s XI shapes up

The 3-4-2-1 system devised by Tony Popovic is based on a powerful three-man central defence led by Harry Souttar, supported by Alessandro Circati and Lucas Herrington. These players are tasked with handling Egypt’s pressure while providing wide coverage. The midfield is very compact, with four players who will have to control the flanks and win the ball back. Among them, Jackson Irvine plays a key role in the team’s tactical balance.

In attack, Connor Metcalfe and Cristian Volpato will occupy the secondary attacking zones, bringing creativity and support to Nestory Irankunda, who leads the line alone. The absence of players such as Mathew Leckie and Jacob Italiano is felt, but Popovic is counting on a solid collective unit to counter a fast and technical Egyptian team.

How Egypt’s XI shapes up

Hossam Hassan fields a classic 4-2-3-1 formation with a defence organised around Rami Rabia and Yasser Ibrahim. The midfield pair of Marwan Attia and Mahmoud Saber combines defensive work with the construction of attacks. The attacking sector relies heavily on Mohamed Salah, the Pharaohs’ main threat, supported by Emam Ashour on the right and Mostafa Ziko on the left.

Omar Marmoush will play as the centre-forward. Egypt are banking on the speed of their attackers to unsettle the Australian centre-backs. Despite a few confirmed absences, notably Hamdy Fathy and Hossam Abdelmaguid, the Egyptian side present a competitive and experienced XI.

The starting XIs

Australia

System3-4-2-1Head coachTony Popovic

Starters11

18 Patrick Beach Goalkeeper
3 Alessandro Circati Defender
19 Harry Souttar Defender
25 Lucas Herrington Defender
5 Jordan Bos Midfielder
13 Aiden O'Neill Midfielder
22 Jackson Irvine Midfielder
16 Aziz Behich Midfielder
20 Cristian Volpato Forward
8 Connor Metcalfe Forward
17 Nestory Irankunda Forward

Substitutes13

1 Mathew Ryan
12 Paul Izzo
2 Miloš Degenek
6 Jason Geria
21 Cameron Burgess
15 Kai Trewin
14 Cameron Devlin
24 Paul Okon-Engstler
10 Ajdin Hrustić
11 Awer Mabil
23 Nishan Velupillay
9 Mohamed Touré
26 Tete Yengi

Egypt

System4-2-3-1Head coachHossam Hassan

Starters11

23 Mostafa Shobeir Goalkeeper
3 Mohamed Hany Defender
5 Rami Rabia Defender
2 Yasser Ibrahim Defender
15 Karim Hafez Defender
14 Hamdy Fathy Midfielder
19 Marwan Attia Midfielder
8 Emam Ashour Midfielder
10 Mohamed Salah Midfielder
11 Mostafa Ziko Midfielder
22 Omar Marmoush Forward

Substitutes12

1 Mohamed El-Shenawy
26 Mohamed Alaa
16 Mahdi Soliman
4 Hossam Abdelmaguid
24 Tarek Alaa
18 Nabil Donga
7 Mahmoud Trézéguet
21 Mahmoud Saber
12 Haissem Hassan
20 Ibrahim Adel
25 Zizo
9 Hamza Abdelkarim

Australia

Half-time 0-1 Dallas Stadium

Egypt

03/07/2026 19:00 Round of 32

Fil du match

13'But - E. Ashour (passe K. Hafez)Égypte, 13e

Round of 32 schedule

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