FIFA launches disciplinary proceedings against Hossam Hassan and Zico: Egypt responds

FIFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against several members of the Egyptian national team following the events at the 2026 World Cup.

Egypt reached the round of 16 for the first time in their history, and the Arab side came within touching distance of the quarter-finals before Argentina’s comeback denied them.

A narrow 3-2 defeat to Argentina ended their run at the finals held across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Argentina went on to reach the final.

Head coach Hossam Hassan, his brother Ibrahim, the team’s manager, and star man Mustafa Zico all launched angry attacks on the refereeing decisions in the wake of the elimination.

Hossam Hassan said at the time: “We were the better side today against Argentina, but football is not fair, and what happened was unjust, even though FIFA raises the banner of ‘fair play’.”

He added: “It is possible that marketing matters are the reason. They do not want (Lionel) Messi to go out, they want the world champion to continue in the World Cup.”

Ibrahim Hassan told “On Sport”: “We were leading Argentina by two goals to nil, and we were capable of continuing the journey, had it not been for the glaring refereeing errors that everyone witnessed, which revealed the truth before the world, after we were knocked out by someone’s doing.”

Zico’s reaction became the most famous of all. He said: “Congratulations to Argentina on the World Cup. The tournament is rigged, the referee was unjust, from the start of the match he was against us, and he wasted the efforts of an entire nation. Were they going to let us beat Argentina 2-0? The tournament is rigged and congratulations to Argentina on the World Cup.”

The Egyptian federation prepares its response

An official statement from the Egyptian Football Association today confirmed FIFA had begun disciplinary proceedings against the twins and Zico, and that a response is being prepared.

The statement read: “The Egyptian federation is following the disciplinary proceedings that the International Federation of Association Football has begun against Hossam Hassan, the national team’s head coach, Ibrahim Hassan, the team’s manager, and the player Mustafa Zico, on the back of their statements after the Egypt v Argentina match at the 2026 World Cup.”

It added: “The federation affirms its respect for FIFA’s regulations and procedures, and the necessary responses and legal memoranda will be submitted within the specified deadlines, while confirming its support and backing for those concerned by the proceedings and the defence of the rights of Egyptian football, through official channels.”

The statement continued: “The federation also stresses its respect for the principles of fair play and the organising bodies, while retaining its full right to defend the interests of the technical staff and the players before the competent bodies at FIFA.”

FIFA had already fined goalkeeping coach Saafan Al-Sagheer for objecting to the decisions of the Argentina match referee on the pitch.

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