Arabs on a Date with History: Largest Presence and Unlimited Dreams

Over more than nine decades, Arab football has embarked on a journey filled with challenges and achievements in the World Cup, starting with the historic step taken by the Egyptian national team in the 1934 edition, reaching its peak with the exceptional achievement of the Moroccan national team in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Today, Arab football is preparing to write a new chapter in the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be the largest in the history of the tournament.

As the kickoff for the tournament scheduled in the United States, Canada, and Mexico approaches, from June 11 to July 19, 2026, Arab teams are making an unprecedented appearance with eight teams participating at once. This marks the largest Arab representation in the history of the World Cup, opening the door to great ambitions of moving beyond honorable participation towards competing in the advanced stages.

In addition to sporting achievements, the most prominent event in Arab history at the World Cup remains Qatar's hosting of the 2022 edition, making it the first Arab and Middle Eastern country to host the tournament since its inception in 1930. This edition marked a milestone in World Cup history due to its successful organization, advanced infrastructure, and the geographical proximity of the stadiums, leaving an exceptional legacy that continues to resonate in the global football memory.

The Arabs will be represented in the upcoming edition by the national teams of Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to Jordan, which will make its first appearance in the finals, bringing the total number of Arab teams that have participated in the World Cup throughout history to ten.

The first Arab participation in the tournament dates back to 1934 when the Egyptian national team represented the Arabs in the second edition in Italy. They exited the competition in the first round against Hungary, but the match witnessed Abdelrahman Fawzi scoring the first two Arab goals in World Cup history.

After decades of waiting, the Arab presence returned through the Moroccan national team in the 1970 World Cup, achieving the first Arab point in the history of the tournament. Then Tunisia came in the 1978 edition to record the first Arab victory after defeating Mexico, before Algeria created one of the most famous World Cup surprises by defeating West Germany in the 1982 edition.

The Arab progress in the tournament continued when Morocco became the first Arab and African team to reach the second round in the 1986 World Cup, while Saudi Arabia achieved a similar feat in its first participation in 1994, before Algeria rewrote history again by reaching the round of 16 in the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

However, the most prominent moment in the history of Arab football came during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, when the Moroccan national team broke all barriers to become the first Arab and African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals. This was achieved after eliminating major teams such as Spain and Portugal, in what is considered the greatest Arab achievement ever in the history of the tournament.

In terms of the number of appearances, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia share the lead among Arab teams with the most World Cup appearances, each with seven. Algeria is participating for the fifth time, and Egypt for the fourth. Qatar is participating for the second time after its debut in 2022, and Iraq returns for the second time since its only appearance in 1986. Meanwhile, Jordan is writing its first entry in the World Cup record. Kuwait and the UAE have each made one appearance.

Despite the difficulty of the groups in which the draw placed many Arab teams, the sense of optimism seems greater than ever, especially with the noticeable development that Arab football has witnessed in recent years at the level of national teams and professional players in major European leagues.

Particular attention is directed towards the Moroccan national team, which enters the tournament with great confidence following its historic achievement in Qatar. The team is supported by a squad of professional players and experience accumulated through consecutive participations and continental and international successes, making it the leading Arab contender for competing for advanced positions.

The national teams of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia also have chances to advance to the knockout stages, especially with the new system that provides an opportunity for some third-place finishers to qualify.

On the other hand, the Qatari team is relying on the experience gained from the 2022 edition, while Iraq hopes to leave a significant mark despite the strong competition. Jordan is embarking on its first historic experience with great ambitions to achieve an honorable appearance.

Between the legacy of the past and the ambitions of the future, Arab teams enter the 2026 World Cup with an exceptional opportunity to enhance their global presence. This edition could represent a new turning point for Arab football and affirm the significant development the sport has witnessed in the region in recent years.