FIFA has suspended Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan for three matches and forward Mostafa Zico for five matches following criticism of the referee after Egypt’s 3–2 defeat to Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a Reuters report.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed the punishments, adding that national team director Ibrahim Hassan, the coach’s twin brother, had also received a three-match suspension. The sanctions follow the controversy surrounding Egypt’s elimination from the tournament in the round of 16.
Hossam Hassan was punished after criticising refereeing decisions that he believed contributed to Egypt’s defeat. Zico, meanwhile, received a longer suspension over remarks directed at the referee during a post-match interview.
The match had produced several contentious moments. Zico had a goal ruled out because of a foul in the build-up, while Egypt’s players also appealed for a penalty late in the game when the score was level at 2–2.
FIFA’s refereeing chief, Pierluigi Collina, defended the officiating following the criticism. He warned that allegations of bias could expose referees and their families to threats, underlining the seriousness of public attacks on match officials.According to the
Egyptian Football Association, the federation has requested detailed explanations from FIFA’s disciplinary committee to assess its legal options and determine whether to appeal the decisions. The request could provide Egypt with an opportunity to challenge the sanctions if it believes there are grounds to do so.
The punishments could affect Egypt’s upcoming international programme. Reuters reported that the suspensions could rule Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan out of matches against Malawi in the next rounds of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying in November, while Zico’s suspension was expected to keep him unavailable until June.
Source: Reuters
