Australia vs Egypt Prediction, Odds & Best Bets — FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32

The final week of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 kicks off Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where Australia and Egypt meet at 2:00 p.m. ET in a matchup between two nations still chasing their first knockout-stage win in tournament history. Egypt made history just by getting here, reaching the last 32 for the first time ever after an unbeaten run through Group G. Australia, meanwhile, is back in the knockout rounds for the third time, hoping to match or better its previous best finishes in 2006 and 2022.

Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets Back - If Your First Bet Loses Excludes MI, NJ, NV, NY, ON, PA, PR, WV | Promo Code: EWBET1

View Offer

Both sides arrive banged up in different ways. Egypt’s group-stage finale against Iran turned into a fitness nightmare, while Australia has been dealing with injuries of its own since well before the tournament began. Whoever survives Friday likely gets a date with Argentina in the Round of 16, adding extra incentive for both benches to find a way through.

How the Odds Shape Up in Arlington

Books have installed Egypt as the moderate favorite here, and it is not hard to see why given the overall talent gap up front. DraftKings has Egypt at +150 on the three-way moneyline with Australia at +225 and the draw at +200, while FanDuel lists Egypt at +150, Australia at +230 and the draw at +190. On the to-qualify markets, Egypt sits around -140 to advance with Australia at +115. The total is set at a stingy 1.5 goals, with the under drawing plenty of respect given how conservative both teams have played through the group stage. Betting splits have leaned heavily toward Egypt, with well over 80 percent of tickets on the Pharaohs to advance outright.

Injury Concerns and Group-Stage Form

Bettors looking to get a piece of this one can find solid options through a FanDuel promo code or a DraftKings promo code, both of which have posted competitive lines on the Egypt-Australia moneyline.

Egypt’s road to the knockout stage was rocky in the best possible way. The Pharaohs opened with a 1-1 draw against Belgium, then blew past New Zealand 3-1, before a chaotic 1-1 draw with Iran sealed second place in Group G on goal difference. That Iran match came at a cost. Captain Mohamed Salah left in the 57th minute with what the Egyptian Football Association later confirmed was a hamstring strain, and he has spent the days since in an intensive rehab program. Fellow starters Mohamed Abdelmonem (ankle bruising) and Ahmed Fatouh (hamstring tear) also went down, with Fatouh considered a longshot to be fit. Midfielder Mohanad Lashin will serve a suspension after picking up a second yellow card against Iran. Head coach Hossam Hassan has publicly downplayed the concerns, saying he is “not worried” about his squad’s depth heading into the knockout round.

For fans wanting to shop lines across multiple books, a Caesars promo code is another option worth checking before kickoff.

Australia’s group stage was defined by resilience rather than firepower. The Socceroos opened with a statement 2-0 win over Turkey behind goals from breakout 20-year-old winger Nestory Irankunda and midfielder Connor Metcalfe, then dropped a 2-0 decision to co-host USA before grinding out a scoreless draw with Paraguay to lock up second place in Group D on goal difference. Tony Popovic’s group has already absorbed some tough injury news of its own, with veteran forward Mathew Leckie and versatile defender Jacob Italiano both ruled out of the tournament, while midfielder Riley McGree was lost to a hamstring injury before a ball was even kicked. Center back Harry Souttar and captain-type presence Jackson Irvine remain steady figures for a defense that has conceded just twice in three matches.

The head-to-head history offers Australia a sliver of encouragement. The two nations have met just twice, with Australia winning on penalties in the 1987 President’s Cup semifinal and Egypt taking a 3-0 friendly win in Cairo back in 2010. Neither result carries much weight given how much both programs have changed since, but it does mean Friday’s meeting will be only the third all-time and the first at a World Cup.

Beyond Salah, Egypt’s supporting cast has quietly been effective all tournament. Winger Zizo has provided width and directness on the counter, while goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir came up with a crucial penalty save against Iran that kept Egypt’s unbeaten run intact. For Australia, the return of Cristian Volpato and Nestory Irankunda into the same attacking group has given Popovic a more dynamic look than in years past, even if the end product has been inconsistent. Both managers have talked up their squad depth this week, but neither team has shown it can consistently create clean look at goal, which is exactly why the total sits so low.

Prediction and Best Bet

Egypt’s attack, even without a fully healthy Salah, still has more individual quality than an Australian side that has largely won on structure and defensive discipline rather than star power. If Salah is even limited minutes off the bench, Egypt should have enough in the tank against a Socceroos side that has scored only twice in three group games. The under-1.5 goals line is the market’s clear signal here, and it lines up with how conservatively both teams have approached the biggest stage.

• Prediction: Egypt 1, Australia 0
• Best Bet: Egypt on the moneyline

Egypt’s depth and attacking talent give them the edge even with Salah’s fitness in question, and at plus-money on the three-way line, backing the Pharaohs to grind out a low-scoring win offers real value against an Australian side that has struggled to find the net all tournament. Anyone new to betting on soccer markets may also want to bookmark the betting calculator to quickly work out payouts on plus-money moneyline bets like this one.