Australia is preparing for a crucial FIFA World Cup knockout match against Egypt in the Round of 32, with kick-off scheduled for Saturday at 4am AEST in Dallas.

Both teams enter the match with closely matched FIFA rankings, with Australia placed 28th and Egypt 26th, setting up what is expected to be a tightly contested encounter.According to the Opta supercomputer, the Socceroos have a 46.

02 per cent chance of winning, and victory would mark a historic achievement as Australia continues its search for a first-ever World Cup knockout win.If Australia defeats Egypt, they will advance to the Round of 16, where they are projected to face the winner of Argentina versus Cape Verde.

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, is heavily favoured in that matchup, although Cape Verde has already impressed by reaching the knockout stages for the first time.The Round of 16 match is scheduled for Atlanta on 8 July at 2am AEST.

Should Australia continue its unlikely run, they would progress through to the quarter-finals in Kansas City, with further potential matchups against strong sides including Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, or Ghana.Opta estimates a much lower probability of reaching the later stages, with only an 11.2 per cent chance of making the quarter-finals and around a 4.47 per cent chance of reaching the semi-finals.The tournament path could eventually include major footballing nations such as Brazil, England, or Mexico in later rounds.

The article highlights that while Australia’s chances of winning the entire tournament are low at just over 1 per cent, a victory over Egypt could significantly shape their campaign and create a landmark moment in Australian football history.All matches are available to watch live and free on SBS platforms.