Egypt part ways with coach Hossam Hassan and name Ali Maher as his replacement, the EFA says
The Egyptian Football Association said on Saturday 7 November 2026 that it had parted ways with head coach Hossam Hassan and his staff, after a review of recent events and their negative impact on the national team's image and stability, and had appointed Ali Maher, the Ceramica Cleopatra coach, to lead the team for the coming period. Hassan, 60, had renewed his contract until 2030 after taking Egypt to the World Cup round of 16; he leaves after 38 matches, with a FIFA three-match ban still standing. Maher's first matches are the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi on 13 and 17 November.
Key points
- The EFA parted ways with Hossam Hassan and his staff on Saturday 7 November and appointed Ali Maher, 52, from Ceramica Cleopatra.
- The EFA cited recent events' negative impact on the team's image and stability; it did not say which events it meant.
- Hassan had renewed until 2030 after the World Cup round of 16; he leaves after 38 matches (21 wins, 10 draws, 7 defeats).
- Maher's first matches are the AFCON qualifiers against Malawi on 13 and 17 November.
What happened
The dismissal came three days after Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation barred Hassan from appearing in media outlets, in a case linked to his private life and former wife, SuperSport (AFP) reports; an EFA source told AFP his personal issues had created significant tension around the national team. On the pitch, a goalless home draw with Angola in a September Nations Cup qualifier, in which Hassan substituted Mohamed Salah after an hour, had also drawn scrutiny, Reuters reports.
Hassan, Egypt's all-time top scorer as a player, had been in charge since February 2024 and took Egypt to the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time in the nation's history this year.
Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedThe Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said on Saturday 7 November 2026 that it had parted ways with head coach Hossam Hassan and his technical and administrative staff, and had appointed Ali Maher as head coach of the national team for the coming period.Reuters — Egypt part ways with coach Hassan, Maher to replace him (7 Nov 2026) · QNA via Fana News — Egyptian FA ends contract with Hossam Hassan (7 Nov 2026) · SuperSport (AFP) — Egypt fire World Cup coach Hassan over personal issues (7 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedThe EFA said the decision followed a review of the circumstances and events of the past period and their negative impact on the positive image and stability of the national team, and that maintaining the team's stability is a paramount priority. It thanked Hassan for his efforts and wished him success in the next stage of his career.Reuters — Egypt part ways with coach Hassan, Maher to replace him (7 Nov 2026) · QNA via Fana News — Egyptian FA ends contract with Hossam Hassan (7 Nov 2026) · News Central TV — Egypt sack coach Hassan over personal controversies (7 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedAli Maher, 52, takes charge after a successful spell with Egyptian club Ceramica Cleopatra, and was asked to present his plans for forming his technical staff. His first matches are Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi on 13 and 17 November.Reuters — Egypt part ways with coach Hassan, Maher to replace him (7 Nov 2026) · QNA via Fana News — Egyptian FA ends contract with Hossam Hassan (7 Nov 2026) · SuperSport (AFP) — Egypt fire World Cup coach Hassan over personal issues (7 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedHassan, 60, had renewed his contract until 2030 after leading Egypt to the round of 16 at this year's World Cup — a first World Cup win, against New Zealand, and a penalty shoot-out win over Australia in the round of 32 before a 3–2 defeat by Argentina. He leaves after 38 matches in charge, winning 21, drawing 10 and losing seven, and with a three-match FIFA ban, for criticising the referee after the Argentina defeat, still standing.Reuters — Egypt part ways with coach Hassan, Maher to replace him (7 Nov 2026)