When do the Socceroos play Egypt and how to watch Australia's next World Cup game

This is a special time for football fans, whether you always support the Socceroos or only watch during the World Cup. Every World Cup is a bit different, and this one, held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is no exception. This guide gives you all the important details for following the Socceroos from Australia. All times mentioned are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).

You can watch all the matches live on SBS and SBS Viceland, and stream them on SBS On Demand. The early group stage games at 2pm, 12pm, and 5am were convenient. However, now that the Socceroos have reached the knockout stage, you will need to wake up earlier.

The Guardian will provide live updates for all 104 matches. Our reporters will be covering the Socceroos and bringing you match reports, analysis, and news from Canada, Mexico, and the US. We also have journalists in Australia to share reactions from across the country.

After finishing second in Group D, Australia has reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for only the third time. In this larger tournament format with 48 teams, 16 have been eliminated, leaving 32 teams to compete in the first knockout round.

Last 32
Saturday 4 July: Australia v Egypt, 4am, Dallas Stadium.

Possible knockout path
Wednesday 8 July: last-16, 2am, Atlanta Stadium
Sunday 12 July: quarter-final, 11am, Kansas City Stadium
Thursday 16 July: semi-final, 5am, Atlanta Stadium
Monday 20 July: final, 5am, New York/New Jersey Stadium.

The top two teams from each group advanced to the last 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams. USA finished first in the group, Australia was second, Paraguay qualified as a third-placed team, and Turkey was eliminated.

The Socceroos are back on the big screen at Federation Square in Melbourne after a short ban. Several other live sites across Australia will show the games, including locations in New South Wales, Victoria, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, and Darwin.

This is the first time this expanded competition is being held. Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Morocco, USA, Australia, Germany, Cote d’Ivoire, the Netherlands, Japan, Belgium, Egypt, Spain, Cape Verde, France, Norway, Argentina, Austria, Colombia, Portugal, England, and Croatia qualified by finishing in the top two of their groups. A close race for third place saw DR Congo, Sweden, Ghana, Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Algeria, Paraguay, and Senegal also progress.

The final 26-player squad was announced after the Socceroos' 1-0 loss to Mexico in their second-to-last match before the tournament. Coach Tony Popovic decided to include two strikers who had not yet played for the national team. This included Cristian Volpato, who recently switched his international allegiance from Italy to Australia. The squad selection favoured youth over experience in many positions.

Canada, Mexico, and the US are co-hosting this 2026 World Cup, the first time three countries have shared hosting duties. All three co-hosts reached the knockout stages, with Canada already securing a place in the last 16. There are 16 host cities across the three countries, divided into western, central, and eastern regions.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Socceroos were eliminated in a close match against Argentina, the eventual champions. Although they lost 2-1, the team returned home as heroes.

Before the tournament, discussions focused on high ticket prices and travel costs. Since the games began, other stories have emerged. Iran spoke out about their treatment by Fifa and the US after being eliminated. While the football has been exciting, issues like visas and Fifa's approach to fans have caused problems. Lighter news includes a Mexican duck named Merlín and bright fan colours.