Egypt have sacked head coach Hossam Hassan, barely two months after extending his contract until 2030 on the back of the country's best World Cup run. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) confirmed in an official statement on Saturday, 7 November, that its board had ended the tenure of Hassan and his technical and administrative staff, and appointed Ceramica Cleopatra coach Ali Maher as his replacement. The change comes six days before Egypt host Malawi in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, with the Pharaohs top of their group.
The EFA's statement was short and gave no specific reason for the decision beyond a review of recent events. The federation said its board had examined "the circumstances and events of the past period" and their negative effect on the national team's "positive image and stability", and had decided to thank Hassan and his staff "in line with the terms of the contract". It added that the interests of the national team, and maintaining its stability, were a top priority that could not be compromised. The statement asked Maher to present his plans for forming his new technical staff, and thanked Hassan for his efforts during his time in charge.
The dismissal follows a difficult few weeks for Hassan off the pitch. In October, FIFA suspended him for three matches after he criticised the referee following Egypt's 3-2 defeat by Argentina at the World Cup. Then, on Wednesday 4 November, Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation barred him from appearing on media outlets, after a public dispute involving his former wife. The EFA's statement named no individual incident, and the federation has not said which events it was referring to. What is clear is the timing: Hassan was already set to miss the Malawi qualifiers through the FIFA suspension, and the federation has now decided to move on entirely rather than wait out the ban.
Appointed in February 2024, Hassan took charge of 38 matches, winning 21, drawing 10 and losing seven. He guided Egypt to fourth place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, then to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, the first time the country had reached that stage. Egypt recorded their first World Cup win, against New Zealand, then beat Australia on penalties in the round of 32, before losing 3-2 to Argentina in the last 16 after surrendering a two-goal lead. For a coach who is also Egypt's all-time leading scorer, with 69 international goals, it was a landmark run. That is what makes the dismissal striking: the federation moved against a coach who had just delivered the national team's best World Cup performance, months after handing him a contract to 2030.
Maher, 52, inherits the job with almost no preparation time. Egypt host Malawi at Cairo International Stadium on Friday, 13 November, and play the return fixture on Tuesday, 17 November, sitting top of Group B in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Maher arrives after a successful spell with Ceramica Cleopatra, and has previously coached Smouha, ENPPI, Al Masry and Modern Sport. His first task is to name his technical staff and settle a squad that has been in the headlines for reasons beyond football. With Hassan suspended and now gone, the dugout will look very different from the one that led Egypt through the World Cup.
The confirmed facts are the dismissal, the appointment of Maher, the Malawi fixtures on 13 and 17 November, and the absence of a specific reason in the EFA's statement. Whether the federation says more about the reasons, and how Maher shapes his first squad, will become clear in the coming days. ScorePulse will update this story when the EFA or Maher give their next official word on the change.
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