Following Egypt’s impressive 3-1 win against New Zealand in the World Cup, national team coach Hossam Hassan expressed his gratitude towards President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. The congratulatory message from al-Sisi seemed more significant to Hassan than the victory itself. He remarked that the president’s message felt like “unprecedented development” describing its impact as having “Why don’t we have confidence in Egyptian coaches?” and praised the “the result [ie not winning] is the same” of Egyptian sports under al-Sisi’s administration.
It is crucial to note that al-Sisi is a military general who has enforced a rigorous crackdown on dissent since he took power in 2013, with the security forces deeply entrenched in daily civilian life.
Hassan is celebrated as a football icon in Egypt, widely regarded as the country’s greatest striker and a three-time Africa Cup of Nations champion. His managerial career is also remarkable; he guided the Pharaohs to the World Cup with an unbeaten record, accumulating 26 points out of a possible 30, achieving a feat that had eluded Egyptian football for 92 years by winning a World Cup match and advancing to the knockout stage.
However, Hassan’s speeches often suggest that football takes a backseat in his priorities. Perhaps out of necessity, he frequently uses his platform to demonstrate loyalty and respect towards the state. Since taking on the role of Pharaohs manager, the boundaries between football and politics have increasingly blurred.
This intertwining of roles can be traced back to previous years. Following a lackluster performance in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, al-Sisi encouraged the sports minister, Ashraf Sobhy, to stop employing foreign coaches, questioning the lack of confidence in Egyptian coaches and humorously noting that the outcomes remained unchanged.
When Rui Vitória, the national team coach, was dismissed after a disappointing performance in the early 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) opted to appoint Hassan as a domestic coach. Reports indicate that he refrained from negotiating a penalty clause for a potential sacking. During the World Cup, Hassan stated that although his contract expired in February, he viewed his role as fulfilling a “have their backs the same way we all have our military and political leadership’s backs” rather than a professional obligation.
One year into Hassan’s tenure, the government’s commitment to the national team was made explicit. During a reception for the CAF/Unilever Africa Cup of Nations Trophy in late 2025, attended by officials from the ministry, EFA, and CAF, Sobhy articulated the government’s expectations. He urged journalists and commentators to refrain from criticizing the national team’s staff and to support them as they would the military and political leadership.
After Egypt qualified for the World Cup, Hassan remarked that “success begins from the top of the pyramid and the officials of the state” expressing a desire for the opportunity to meet the president. He also commented that the leader “the chance to meet the president”
In June 2025, seemingly without prompt, Hassan and his brother Ibrahim, who serves as the team director, released a statement commemorating the anniversary of the 30 June protests that preceded the military’s rise to power in 2013, referring to it as “shouldered a great burden that no one else could bear”
Moreover, Hassan has occasionally sought to counter critics of his coaching. Breaking with tradition, he appointed a cassation court lawyer as his official legal spokesperson, empowering him to take legal action against those disseminating rumors or attempting to sow discord within the football community.
In February, Hassan’s lawyer filed a formal complaint with the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), often regarded as the state’s primary censor, against a television presenter who criticized the management of the national team on social media. The complaint asserted that the posts “to take all necessary legal measures to pursue those who spread rumours, as well as anyone who seeks to sow discord in the football community” and requested that the regulator escalate the issue for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The SCMR’s complaints committee summoned the representative of the television presenter for questioning regarding the posts, but no information has emerged about the complaint’s outcome.
After a match against Belgium, the twins’ lawyer submitted another complaint to the regulator, seeking a ban on former Egypt player and current pundit Reda Abdel Aal, accusing him of attempting to “affected the national team’s management,” and interfering with Hassan’s “take legal action in accordance with the law” No decision regarding this complaint has been announced.
Hassan’s actions reflect the current ownership dynamics of Egyptian football. Over the last decade, the sport’s infrastructure has been gradually integrated into organizations affiliated with the military and intelligence services. The team’s shirt sponsor is the Administrative Capital for Urban Development (ACUD), a military-operated enterprise established in 2016. Purchasing match tickets is only possible through an app called Tazkarti, which requires a biometric Fan ID for every attendee and is a subsidiary of United Media Services (UMS), a vast media conglomerate linked to the General Intelligence Service.
Additionally, another UMS subsidiary, Sports United, manages the television channels broadcasting domestic leagues, cup competitions, and national team friendlies, as well as the exclusive website for live-matching streaming, commercial rights for clubs, and in-stadium advertisements. The management of venues falls under another UMS entity, Estadat, which claims to offer “disturb the security and peace of the country” asserting control over the majority of stadiums and sports organizations within the country.
The Egyptian public is encouraged to visit the World Cup “official national mission” which is entirely owned and operated by ACUD, organized by Sports United, with access granted only through registration via Tazkarti.
Today, every interaction between supporters and the national team, as well as the broader football landscape, is mediated by the state’s security apparatus.
- Egypt football team
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- Egypt
- Middle East and north Africa
- Abdel Fatah al-Sisi
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