The World Cup Round of 16 throws up a proper heavyweight-versus-underdog clash as Argentina take on Egypt at Atlanta Stadium.

Lionel Messi and the reigning champions rolled through Group J with a perfect 3-0-0 record, while Egypt are living a dream nobody in their country has experienced before.

The Egyptians finished as Group G runners-up and then knocked out Australia on penalties to reach this stage for the first time ever.

It’s a huge moment for them, but they run straight into an Argentina side stacked with quality and led by the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.

Argentina did have a scare of their own, needing extra time to see off debutants Cape Verde in the Round of 32. That wobble aside, the depth of talent here is on a different level, and Egypt will likely have to sit deep and hope Mohamed Salah can nick something on the break.

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How does Super Sub work? Well, it’s very simple. Place a bet on select player markets throughout the Men’s World Cup and if that player is subbed off your bet rolls over to the new player that replaced them.

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Argentina vs Egypt Prediction

We’re going with Argentina to win. As our Argentina vs Egypt betting odds page shows, the champions are clear favourites at much shorter odds, and for good reason. Their attack has plenty of firepower beyond just Messi, and Egypt are expected to spend long stretches defending their box.

Egypt have been gutsy and their penalty win over Australia showed real character, but they face a significant step up in opposition quality.

While Egypt showed they can find the net (scoring five goals in the group stage from Emam Ashour (2), Mostafa Zico, Mohamed Salah, Mahmoud Trezeguet, and Mahmoud Saber), asking that attack to consistently break down Argentina over 90 minutes feels like a stretch. Back Argentina to get the job done.

If you fancy backing Messi and co, it's worth reading up on the World Cup betting markets on offer first, and if you're keen to string a few outcomes together, our rundown on how a multi bet works is a handy starting point.

Argentina vs Egypt team News and Line-ups

Predicted Argentina line-up (4-3-3): Emiliano Martínez, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Facundo Medina, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada.

Scaloni is tipped to keep an unchanged back four and roll out the same midfield trio, with a striker preferred through the middle over the alternative option.

Facundo Medina is reportedly a doubt with cramp, while Enzo Fernandez faces a late fitness test on sideline recovery work.

Predicted Egypt line-up: Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Ramy Rabia, Karim Hafez, Emam Ashour, Hamdy Fathy, Marwan Attia, Omar Marmoush, Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Zico.

The side lean on a compact, possession-based setup and their scoring threat reportedly came from the flanks in the previous round.

Mohamed Salah is reportedly a doubt with a hamstring problem, while Hamdy Fathy is reportedly a doubt with a groin issue.

Player markets to watch

Our pick: Lionel Messi to score anytime - Messi is flying.

He’s found the net in eight straight World Cup appearances and has reached 20 career World Cup goals. He’s among the leaders in the 2026 Golden Boot race with seven tournament goals, and he’s the standout individual play.

Why the price makes sense - Egypt’s back line has been tested by injuries. Centre-back Mohamed Abdelmonem suffered severe ankle bruising in the group stage and did not start the last-32 tie.

First-choice left-back Ahmed Fatouh suffered a hamstring tear and was ruled out of the Australia match. That’s exactly the kind of patched-up defence Messi tends to punish.

Argentina vs Egypt Match Details

Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Kick-off: 2:00am AEST.

Location: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta.

Where to watch: Sportsbet, SBS.

Where to Watch Argentina vs Egypt

For the first time ever, Sportsbet is offering punters the chance to stream World Cup matches live*.

To watch Sportsbet's live streams of the World Cup, you must:

- Be 18+.

- Have a Sportsbet account.

- Be logged into your Sportsbet account.

- Have a positive balance OR have placed a bet in the last 24 hours.

World Cup streaming is available both in-app and on-web. As long as you meet the above requirements, you'll be able to tune in on your computer, tablet or phone.

To access the stream for Argentina vs Egypt simply find your way to the official betting page for this match. Or, if you have a bet on the game you can watch from your "My Bets" section.

Traditional World Cup broadcaster SBS is also showing every World Cup match, meaning you can also watch Argentina vs Egypt on either SBS, SBS Viceland or SBS On Demand.

*18+ Available to Sportsbet customers only. Conditions apply – see sportsbet.com.au

*Odds are subject to change.