World Cup Egypt Defeats New Zealand 3-1, First Historic Win After 92 Years Sparks Cairo Celebration

2026 World Cup Key News

(CNA, Cairo, June 24) -- The Egyptian national team secured its first-ever World Cup victory by defeating New Zealand 3-1 in the 2026 World Cup group stage. This glorious moment for the Pharaohs has sent Egyptians worldwide into a frenzy, igniting wild celebrations from the streets of Vancouver, Canada, to the banks of the Nile in Cairo.

On June 22nd in Vancouver, Canada, Egypt faced New Zealand in a World Cup group stage match. Egyptian national team star Mohamed Salah led the team to a comeback victory with a crucial goal and an assist, ultimately defeating New Zealand 3-1. This marked the first win in the history of the Egyptian national team in the World Cup.

After the match, the Egyptians' jubilation was not confined to the stadium. In the locker room at BC Place in Vancouver, Salah, shirtless, danced with his teammates in an Egyptian-style celebration, fully releasing the excitement of victory. A large number of Egyptian fans also gathered around the team's hotel, awaiting the national team. Salah and his teammates later joined the crowd, leading fans in singing and dancing in the streets to celebrate.

The streets of Vancouver instantly transformed into a joyous party, with Egyptian flags in red, white, and black fluttering everywhere.

Cairo's streets were a sea of people, flags, and jubilant shouts.

Fans waved Egyptian national flags wildly in the streets, chanting "Long live the Pharaohs!" amidst deafening cheers.

Some excited young Egyptians climbed lampposts and bridge railings to hang giant posters of Mohamed Salah and homemade banners that read, "92 years of waiting, realized today."

Groups of young people gathered in various street-side cafes, crowding around televisions to watch replays of the goals. Every time Salah's goal footage reappeared, the entire cafe erupted in a new wave of cheers.

Perhaps most striking was the city-wide "car horn symphony." Drivers of cars, minibuses, and trucks alike honked their horns in unison, creating an almost wild urban soundscape with varying rhythms. Even ferries on the Nile occasionally joined the chorus of honking.

"This is not just a victory, it's history!" an emotional Egyptian fan shouted on a street in downtown Cairo. "We waited 92 years, and the Pharaohs have truly done it this time!"

In Egypt, football has never been just a sport; it's an emotional outlet. Whenever the Egyptian national team or the two biggest local clubs, Al Ahly and Zamalek, win, fans spontaneously take to the streets in processions, and drivers of every passing car automatically join in with long honks.

Egyptians, naturally optimistic and fond of song and dance, enjoy marking joyful moments with noise and rhythm.

Ali, a football fan in his 60s, told CNA reporters that this habit of celebrating football victories by taking to the streets with honking horns and waving national flags originated in the 1970s after television broadcasting became widespread. To compensate for the inability of most fans to shout their lungs out and dance together in the stadium, cars became "mobile cheering stands," which eventually became a customary celebration ritual for Egyptians.

Ali pointed out that for them as football fans, the louder and longer the honking, the farther and longer the joy of victory can spread. Moreover, after Egypt faced severe economic difficulties in recent years, the ritual of fans celebrating victories on the streets has become an important social emotional outlet for Egyptians, allowing them to vent the frustrations of their burdensome lives.

Additionally, Egyptians have been posting various celebratory messages on social media and sharing videos of Salah leading his team in celebratory dances in the locker room. #EgyptWin and #PharaohsRise quickly trended.

Egypt currently leads Group G with 4 points. If they defeat Iran on the 27th, they will secure first place in the group and advance to the knockout stage. This would be Egypt's greatest historical breakthrough since they began participating in the World Cup in 1934. (Editor: Tian Ruihua) 1150624

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