FIFA suspends Egypt head coach Hassan, star forward for criticizing referee after Argentina defeat

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has handed match suspensions to Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan, national team manager Ibrahim Hassan, and forward Mostafa Zico following their outspoken criticism of match officials during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to a statement released by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) on Monday, head coach Hossam Hassan and his twin brother Ibrahim were both issued three-match bans, while Zico received a five-match suspension.

The disciplinary action stems from post-match comments made after Egypt’s 3–2 round-of-16 defeat to Argentina in Atlanta on July 6, where the Pharaohs surrendered a 2–0 lead following several controversial refereeing decisions, including a disallowed goal and a denied penalty claim.

Following the elimination, Hassan accused match officials of unfair treatment, stating during a news conference: "We have been cheated unfairly today; we have suffered injustice... We haven’t seen respect or fair play."

The bans mean both Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan could miss Egypt’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Malawi in November, as well as the opening match of the March international window.

Zico’s five-match ban is expected to keep the forward sidelined from international duty until June. The EFA confirmed it has formally requested the legal justifications from FIFA to evaluate its grounds for an appeal.

Meanwhile, FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina defended the match officials, warning that public allegations against referees undermine match integrity and expose officials to personal threats.