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Arabs national teams’ journey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an end after Morocco, the last Arab representative, was eliminated 2-0 by France in the quarterfinals, marking the close of a magnificent chapter for Arab teams.
Despite having no team in the semifinals, Arab sides left an impressive mark on this World Cup, which brought many technical and historical gains, proving that Arab teams can stand on equal footing with the world’s elite national teams.
Morocco proved their superiority once again, Egypt achieved their best World Cup appearance, Qatar took their first positive steps, Algeria reached the knockout stages for the second time, Saudi Arabia delivered acceptable performances, Jordan and Iraq gained crucial experience, and Tunisia were forced to reconsider their entire structure.
Morocco among the elite
Morocco continued to prove themselves as one of the giants of international football after advancing to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive time, becoming the first Arab team to achieve this milestone.
The Atlas Lions enjoyed a great tournament. They drew against Brazil in the opening match, winning against both Scotland and Haiti to advance to the knockout stages, where they knocked the Netherlands and co-host Canada out of the tournament before France ended their World Cup campaign.
Morocco’s qualification for the knockout stages has now become the norm, demonstrating the solid structure of Moroccan football.
Egypt break the curse
Egypt advanced to the knockout stages for the first time, marking their greatest World Cup campaign since their first international appearance in 1934.
The Pharaohs were on the verge of making history against Argentina after coming from two goals down to take the lead. However, Argentina mounted a three-goal comeback, sparking intense refereeing debate among football fans.
Despite the painful loss, Egypt established themselves as one of the strongest emerging teams on the international stage.
Qatar: A promising team
After their difficult participation in the 2022 World Cup, Qatar produced a better performance in the 2026 World Cup, where they succeeded in earning their first-ever point following a draw against Switzerland.
Even though they suffered a heavy defeat against Canada, the team showed clear development compared with the previous World Cup.
Algeria return to the knockout stages
The Algeria national team returned to the knockout stages for the first time in 12 years since the 2014 World Cup.
They advanced from the group stage with difficulty after losing their opening match against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. Yet, the Desert Foxes showed their resilience and ability to bounce back even after a major blow.
Tunisia record their lowest tally
Tunisia did not achieve what was expected of them. In fact, this was the worst campaign in the history of their World Cup appearances.
However, this defeat could trigger a complete overhaul of their football structure, including reforms to grassroots football and youth academies aimed at nurturing more young talent.
Saudi Arabia: Missed potential
The Saudi side could have made it to the next rounds, but the smallest details made all the difference.
In the group stage, Saudi Arabia suffered a painful 4-0 defeat against Lamine Yamal’s Spain before drawing against Uruguay in the final minutes after having taken the lead. They then drew against Cape Verde, a result Saudi fans viewed as disappointing before Cape Verde demonstrated that their qualification for the knockout stages was well deserved during a heated clash against Argentina.
This does not diminish the quality of the Saudi national team’s talented players, who are capable of making a difference in the future.
Jordan mark an encouraging debut
Despite Jordan’s early elimination, they made a great impression on fans during their first World Cup appearance.
Al-Nashama were able to score in all of their matches, even in the absence of the Jordanian star Yazan Al-Naimat due to injury. The Jordanian national team gained experience and confidence that will help them in upcoming competitions.
Iraq return after a 40-year absence
Iraq marked their World Cup return after a 40-year absence dating back to Mexico 1986. Despite being placed in one of the tournament’s toughest groups, Iraq went toe to toe with major teams such as France and Norway, both of which advanced far in the tournament, showing the Arab team’s resilience and courage.
The Lions of Mesopotamia’s return to the World Cup is a massive achievement in its own right after such a long absence.
