Ali Maher made his first media appearance as Egypt head coach at his unveiling at the national teams’ training centre in 6 October City, two days before his first match in charge of the Pharaohs in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Maher succeeds Hossam Hassan, who led Egypt to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Mohamed Salah has joined the squad from Trabzonspor for the double-header against Malawi and will be part of the new coach’s first camp.
“Coaching Egypt is an honour and a dream for any coach,” Maher said. “We fought and worked hard to get here.”
“Mohamed Salah is the best thing to have happened to Egyptian football,” he added. “We also have outstanding players who give the fans a lot of joy with their performances.”
“I’m backing the players in this squad,” Maher continued. “They have strong character, and we have the best players in Africa.”
Maher also paid tribute to his predecessor. “I’d like to thank Hossam Hassan for everything he did. We want to continue the work he started and build on what he achieved.”
“After the two Malawi games, we’ll hold meetings on Zoom and stay in regular contact with the players,” he added. “That way, we can get our ideas across despite the limited time we have together.”
Maher’s first game in charge is on Friday, 13 November, at Cairo International Stadium, with the return fixture at Bingu National Stadium on Tuesday, 17 November. Egypt lead Group B with four points, ahead of Angola on goal difference, while Malawi are third with three points.
