- Argentina vs Egypt Lineups: Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah start as La Albiceleste face the Pharaohs with a place in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals at stake.
- Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. EAT at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
- The winner will face either Switzerland or Colombia in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.
Lionel Messi starts for Argentina while Mohamed Salah will spearhead Egypt as the two football icons clash, with both nations battling for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals this evening in Atlanta.
Messi, a World Cup winner and the leader of the defending champions, is aiming to guide Argentina deeper into the tournament as they look to retain the title they won in 2022.
Winning back-to-back World Cups would be a remarkable achievement in what could be his final appearance on football’s biggest stage.
ALSO READ: Argentina vs Egypt prediction: World Cup Round of 16 preview, team news, lineups & h2h
The 39-year-old continues to dominate the global tournament.
He is currently the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer, and his seven goals at the 2026 edition have taken his tally to 20, one ahead of France star Kylian Mbappe.
Messi could also make more history by scoring in a ninth consecutive World Cup match.
For Salah, the World Cup journey has been a different story. The Egyptian captain will be making his first-ever Round of 16 appearance in his third World Cup campaign.
At 34, Salah could still be available for the 2030 edition, and his Panenka penalty helped Egypt make history with a shootout victory over Australia in the Round of 32.
He will now be hoping Tuesday delivers the biggest World Cup moment of his career.
Official Argentina vs Egypt lineups
Both nations have been forced to rely on deep squad rotation after enduring exhausting 120-minute extra-time battles in their previous knockout matches just days ago.
The immense physical demands of those encounters have left several key players racing against time to regain full match fitness.
Manager Lionel Scaloni has named a strong Argentina lineup, but behind the scenes the medical staff has been working overtime.
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Midfielder Enzo Fernandez and right-back Nahuel Molina both start despite carrying significant muscle fatigue from the previous match.
Scaloni’s biggest concern remains his defensive depth, as any in-game injuries could expose an already weary backline against Egypt’s dangerous counter-attacks.
- Argentina (4-4-2): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolás Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez; Lionel Messi (c), Julian Alvarez.
- Substitutes: Juan Musso (GK), Gerónimo Rulli (GK), Thiago Almada, Valentín Barco, Nicolás González, Giovani Lo Celso, José López, Lautaro Martínez, Facundo Medina, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolás Otamendi, Exequiel Palacios, Nico Paz, Marco Senesi, Giuliano Simeone.
Egypt face a far more severe selection crisis, particularly across their defensive line.
Manager Hossam Hassan is without his first-choice left-backs, Ahmed Fatouh and Ahmed El Fotouh, who have both been ruled out of the tournament with serious muscle injuries.
That forces Karim Hafez into the starting lineup on the left flank despite only recently returning to light training.
- Egypt: Mostafa Ahmed Shobeir; Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Rami Rabia, Karim Hafez; Mohanad Lasheen, Marwan Ateya, Emam Ashour, Mohamed Salah, Haissem Hassan; Mostafa Ziko.
- Substitutes: Mohamed El Shenawy (GK), Mohamed Alaa (GK), El Mahdi Soliman (GK), Tarek Alaa, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Ibrahim Adel, Nabil Dunga, Hamdi Fathy, Omar Marmoush, Mahmoud Saber, Trezeguet, Zizo.
This marks the first-ever competitive World Cup meeting between the two nations. Historically, they have met only once at senior level, with Argentina claiming a 2-0 victory in an international friendly in 2008.
The reward for the winner is no easy route. They will advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the Switzerland vs Colombia clash.
Where to watch Argentina vs Egypt match in Kenya
In Kenya, you can catch the crucial Round of 16 World Cup clash between Argentina vs Egypt live on SuperSport International (via DStv Channel 222) or on Azam TV Kenya through Azam Sports 2 HD and Azam Sports 4 HD.
Since the match kicks off at exactly 7pm East African Time (EAT), local football fans can also enjoy the action for free on the national broadcaster KBC Channel 1 and SportyTV, both airing the game free-to-air across their digital and television platforms.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026