Brief

FIFA suspends Egypt coach Hassan and forward Zico after World Cup referee criticism

The sanctions could see both miss upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the March international window.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:22:08 GMT

FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has suspended Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan for three matches and forward Mostafa Zico for five matches after they publicly criticised the referee following Egypt's round‑of‑16 loss to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, Al Jazeera reported.

What happened

Egypt were eliminated on July 6 in Atlanta when Argentina came from 2‑0 down to win 3‑2. The Pharaohs complained about several decisions, including a disallowed goal and a red card to a staff member after the winning goal. In the post‑match press conference, Hassan said his side had been "cheated" and suffered injustice. Zico also expressed frustration after a VAR decision ruled out a goal that had put Egypt ahead.

What the reports add

Al Jazeera noted that the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced the sanctions on Monday and said it would appeal, seeking the detailed reasons for the punishments. The EFA also disclosed that Hossam Hassan's twin brother, Ibrahim Hassan, who manages the national team, received an identical three‑match suspension.

What was said

"We have been cheated unfairly today; we have suffered injustice," Hassan told reporters, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet also quoted the EFA statement that it would assess the legal aspects before deciding on an appeal.

How it came about

The disciplinary action follows Egypt's angry reaction to the referee's calls in the match that saw Lionel Messi score the equaliser and later the winning goal. The sanctions mean Hassan and Ibrahim could miss Egypt's upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Malawi in November and the first game of the March international window, while Zico will be unavailable until June.

Key facts

FIFA suspended Egypt coach Hossam Hassan for three matches (aljazeera.com)
FIFA suspended Egypt forward Mostafa Zico for five matches (aljazeera.com)
Egypt's twin brother Ibrahim Hassan also received a three‑match ban (aljazeera.com)
The sanctions stem from criticism of the referee after the 3‑2 loss to Argentina on July 6 (aljazeera.com)
The Egyptian Football Association said it will appeal the decisions (aljazeera.com)