There will be an unprecedented eight Arab nations at the 2026 World Cup, which takes place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The tournament has been expanded, from the 32 that competed at the 2022 tournament to 48 this year.
With only 16 of those not making it into the knockout stages, the Middle East may never get a better chance of having several teams extend their stay.
Morocco leads the charge
Morocco has been there and done it, reaching the last semi-finals four years ago, by some distance the best performance by an Arab team. Now the African champions return, full of big names and even more big game experience.
Achraf Hakimi is the captain and arrives in North America after winning back-to-back European titles with Paris Saint-Germain. Then, there is Brahim Diaz of Real Madrid and Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui.
Add a strong team ethic, solid organisation and an impressive mentality, and the Atlas Lions are expected to go far, despite an opening game against five-time champions Brazil. Scotland and Haiti will present less strenuous tests.
Can Mohamed Salah inspire Egypt?
If Hakimi is perhaps the best Arab player at the moment, the most famous is surely still Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian has had a tough season at Liverpool and has just left the 20-time English champions after nine unforgettable years.
Now his attention turns to the World Cup and helping Africa’s most successful team, in terms of continental titles, get through the group stage for the first time in their fourth appearance.
The group is an open one, starting against a Belgium team that does not look as formidable as before. The Pharaohs will surely fancy their chances of getting enough points against New Zealand and Iran to go into the Round of 32.
Jordan and Algeria: The Arab derby
Fans around the world will be treated to an Arab Derby in Group J as Jordan take on Algeria. The former are preparing for a first appearance on the global stage, but the 2023 Asian Cup finalists will be no pushovers.
Coach Jamal Sellami has been in place for almost two years and has built upon the club-style team spirit and organised style of play that could make ‘Al-Nashama’ tough to beat. In this format, that can be enough.
Algeria made the last 16 in 2014, pushing eventual champions Germany all the way. Riyad Mahrez was in that squad and, now 35, is still the main creative force. Qualification was smooth, and there is an opening game against defending champions Argentina, where they may fancy their chances.
Qatar seek redemption
Qatar’s group could also be more difficult. It starts against Switzerland, before a game against co-host Canada and then Bosnia-Herzegovina.
None of the three is a pushover, but there are no genuine giants. The Maroons have a point to prove after collecting zero points in their first appearance in 2022 on home soil. Three defeats in three games were not the experience that authorities wanted to give fans.
Qualification wasn’t impressive, with the team just squeezing through, but there is hope, and not just because the team now has an experienced coach in Julen Lopetegui.
If Qatar can find the form that delivered the 2019 and 2023 Asian Cups, then there may be more than first World Cup points on offer.
Iraq face the toughest test
In terms of tough groups, Iraq has the shortest straw but the best chance of causing an upset. It starts against Norway, with Erling Haaland’s men seen by some as dark horses.
If that wasn’t enough, then comes France, seen by many as the best team in the competition, and it ends against Senegal, one of the best teams from outside Europe and South America.
There is hope, however. Hiring Graham Arnold, the man who took Australia to the last 16 in 2022 when the Socceroos pushed Argentina all the way, in 2025 was a smart move.
Becoming the last team to qualify at the end of March has meant that there has not been much time to prepare, but there is no pressure on the team returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
Saudi Arabia look for another upset
In 1994, Saudi Arabia came to North America for their first tournament and made it through the group stage. More than three decades on, there is uncertainty.
Coach Georgios Donis was appointed only in April, replacing Hervé Renard after some poor results and performances. There is experience in the team, but there are also concerns about a lack of firepower.
Games against Uruguay and Spain will not be easy, and the final opponents, Cape Verde, should not be underestimated.
Tunisia target history
Last but not least is Tunisia. Qualification was smooth, leading to confidence that a first place at the knockout stages is within reach in their seventh appearance, despite some mediocre warm-up results.
An opening game against Sweden offers a great chance to get off to a good start with tougher tests against Japan and the Netherlands to come.
The only thing that can be said for sure is that there will be Arab representation in the knockout stages.
Five or six would be good. Fewer than four would, depending on the circumstances, probably be disappointing. There is a lot of football to be played.
John Duerden has covered Asian sport for over 20 years for The Guardian, Associated Press, ESPN, BBC, New York Times, as well as various Asian media. He is also the author of four books
Follow him on X: @JohnnyDuerden
Edited by Charlie Hoyle
