Egypt Sacks Coach Hossam Hassan Over Scandals as Ali Maher Steps In
The Egyptian Football Association has dismissed national team coach Hossam Hassan following a series of controversies involving his private life that officials stated negatively impacted the stability of the squad. National football administrators announced the dismissal on Saturday, handing immediate control to Ceramica Cleopatra manager Ali Maher ahead of upcoming international fixtures.
Ali Maher will prepare the national team for Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Malawi scheduled for November 13 and November 17. The coaching change arrives three days after the Supreme Council for Media Regulation banned Hassan from media appearances amid an ongoing legal dispute involving his former wife, Dina Mostafa, who is known publicly as “Dan Adam”. Legal representatives for Hassan previously filed a complaint alleging forgery of official documents and bigamy, accusations that were denied by representatives for Mostafa.
An EFA source told AFP that Hassan’s personal issues created significant tension around the national team, compounding scrutiny that intensified following Egypt‘s run to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup, marking the country’s best-ever tournament performance. During his tenure, which began in March 2024, Hassan also guided the squad to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, resulting in a fourth-place finish.
The mounting off-field pressure drew public concern from former figures within Egyptian football. In September, former Egypt attacker Mido publicly urged officials to intervene, stating the situation had escalated out of control before the association ultimately decided to part company with Hassan and his coaching staff.
