The Egyptian Football Association announced that Hossam Hassan will remain as head coach of the national team until the 2026 World Cup.
The veteran coach led Egypt to a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, but his comments against the Moroccan organization sparked considerable controversy. This was followed by attacks from Moroccan fans on him and Egypt during the third-place match against Nigeria.
There was some criticism of the Pharaohs’ performance, particularly in the semi-final against Senegal, where the Egyptian team defended without a clear attacking plan, ultimately resulting in a 1-0 defeat and the end of their dream of winning the African title, which has eluded them since 2010.
The possibility of dismissing Hossam Hassan and appointing a foreign coach before the World Cup was raised, but Hany Abo Rida, president of the Egyptian Football Association, categorically denied this, affirming his full support for the Egyptian football legend in his position.
Furthermore, Mostafa Abu Zahra, a member of the Egyptian Football Association’s board of directors, confirmed that Hossam and his brother Ibrahim will lead Egypt in the upcoming World Cup, indicating that there is no room for discussion on this matter.
The 2026 World Cup draw placed Egypt in a balanced group with Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand.
The Egyptian national team will face Spain and Saudi Arabia during the upcoming international break in March, and will then play Brazil and Norway in June before the start of the World Cup.
