The Egyptian Football Association announced on Saturday that it has ended its relationship with Hossam Hassan and handed the senior national team's coaching duties to Ali Maher, according to BBC. The decision closes days of speculation over Hassan's future that had dominated Egyptian football coverage.
In its statement, the federation thanked Hassan for his work during his tenure and wished him success in his future career. It said the board had decided to assign Maher the role of technical director for the national team for the coming period.
Why it matters
The change comes just days before Egypt's two matches against Malawi in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, leaving the squad under new leadership at a decisive moment in the campaign. The federation's own statement acknowledged that recent events had harmed the team's public image and its stability, making the timing as significant as the appointment itself.
The federation said the move followed a review of all the circumstances and events of the recent period and the negative effects they produced on the national team's standing and steadiness. It did not detail specific incidents in the statement.
What drove the decision
Questions about Hassan's continuation had been building for some time. BBC reports that the pressure grew after media reports of a push inside the federation to end the coaching staff's mandate, a series of disputes with several national team players, remarks that stirred controversy among club supporters, and a family matter that reached both the media and the courts.
The federation issued an earlier statement on Saturday calling on fans and media to back the team and avoid any escalation that could affect its preparations. That statement did not address Hassan's future directly.
Hassan spoke on Friday about the reports of his departure, saying he did not know who was circulating them. He said preparations for the upcoming camp had already begun and that the team manager had held a working session with the federation president. He also rejected any link between his family troubles and his professional role, asking what connection existed between his personal life and his professional commitment, and said he had made no statements about his family.
Tensions with players and clubs
The friction was not limited to Hassan's personal affairs. BBC reports tension with several squad members, most prominently captain Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
The dispute with Salah intensified after Hassan substituted him during Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Angola well before the match had progressed far. Asked about the change, Hassan said it was made for technical reasons. Salah then left the national camp after that match and did not play in the following fixture against South Sudan, which fed speculation of a rift with the coach.
Federation president Hany Abou Rida met Salah in Turkey last week, a meeting that revived debate about the relationship between the captain and the coaching staff.
In September, Hassan drew criticism after describing the level of El Shenawy, the Al Ahly and national team goalkeeper, as finished, a remark that angered sections of Al Ahly's support. He had also previously made comments that caused controversy regarding Mostafa Mohamed, a former Zamalek player, drawing criticism from the club's fans.
Analysts saw the warning signs
Hassan Khalafallah, a sports critic at Al-Ahram, said the federation's first Saturday statement gave no clear answers about the coaching staff's future, and that it was hard to predict whether Hassan would stay or leave. He said the crisis went beyond the family matter that had become a media talking point to include disagreements with players and clubs, which he argued affected the coach's image and his relationship with supporters. He also noted Hassan's determination to hold on to the job despite the pressure.
Ibrahim El-Menisi, a sports critic and managing editor at Akhbar, said before the separation statement that officials inside the federation themselves had no final vision of what would happen to Hassan, and that the matter was being examined at a level broader than the federation. He argued the timing of any decision remained sensitive given the proximity of the Malawi matches.
El-Menisi said the dispute with Salah was among the most prominent factors raising questions about Hassan's position, given the player's standing in the team and his relationships with teammates. He added that Abou Rida's meeting with Salah revealed wider problems between the coaching staff and some players, and that the federation president returned from Turkey with negative impressions of the situation inside the team, in his assessment.
Khalafallah said Hassan's remarks at press conferences and his hints about certain clubs and players sharpened the criticism directed at him. He said the rift with Salah was among the most serious of these crises, especially since Salah is the captain and one of the team's most prominent players, and that comments about the player's level were ill-judged given what he delivers for his club. El-Menisi agreed, noting the disputes extended beyond Salah to other players as well as to supporters of Al Ahly and Zamalek.
What to watch
Maher now takes charge with Egypt's qualifying double-header against Malawi approaching, and how quickly he settles the squad — and the Salah question in particular — will shape the team's campaign.
