Cairo Spots

EgyptAir has dispatched a special flight to bring the Egyptian national team home from Atlanta after their 2026 World Cup campaign.

Flight MS3009/10, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed Cairo International Airport on Wednesday morning heading directly to Atlanta, according to the airline. The Pharaohs are expected to land in Egypt on Friday morning.

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The Egyptian Football Association has filed an official complaint to FIFA over the refereeing of Egypt’s Round of 16 defeat to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, demanding an investigation into French referee François Letexier and his officiating crew.

Egypt lost 3-2 in Atlanta on Tuesday after leading 2-0, with Argentina scoring three times in the final quarter of an hour including a 92nd minute winner by Enzo Fernandez.

The complaint follows a match in which Egypt had a goal disallowed after a VAR review, saw appeals for a late penalty on Mohamed Salah go unchecked, and received five yellow cards and a red card for a member of the coaching staff while Argentina received none. Head coach Hossam Hassan made FIFA’s anti-racism gesture towards the referee during the match and was booked.

Egypt had formally objected to Letexier’s appointment before the fixture. FIFA has not commented on the complaint.

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Egypt manager Hossam Hassan made an X gesture towards referee François Letexier late in the 3-2 Round of 16 defeat to Argentina,  a gesture with an official meaning in FIFA competitions.

Crossing the arms in an X is FIFA’s signal for players, match officials and staff to report racist behaviour, after which the referee decides whether to stop the game. 

The signal was introduced in 2024.

The moment came with tempers high in the Egypt dugout. Egypt led 2-0 through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko before Argentina scored three times late through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez, whose header in the 92nd minute completed the turnaround.

Egypt players protested a foul in the build up to Messi’s equaliser, having already had a goal disallowed for a foul earlier in the move, and a yellow card was shown in the Egypt technical area towards full time. 

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Egypt Deliver a World Cup Run the Nation Will Never Forget 🇪🇬

Egypt’s greatest World Cup ended in Atlanta tonight, with the Pharaohs two goals up against the world champions until the 79th minute before Argentina won it 3-2 in stoppage time.

What this team achieved in three weeks rewrote Egypt’s football history. An unbeaten group stage that opened with a 1-1 draw against Belgium. A 3-1 win over New Zealand that stood as Egypt’s first ever World Cup victory, 92 years after the country’s tournament debut, with Salah becoming the oldest Egyptian to score at a World Cup.  A penalty shootout win over Australia  that took Egypt into the knockout stage for the first time in four World Cup appearances. 

Tonight, Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico put Egypt 2-0 up, Shobeir saved a Messi penalty, and it took the champions of the world three goals in the final 15 minutes to end the run.

First World Cup win. First knockout victory. First Round of 16. A team that walked off level with the best side on the planet for 79 minutes.

The nation will remember this one.

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