FIFA Applauds Egypt’s Revival Under Hossam Hassan Amid Transition Period
Khaled Hegazy
Dailysports's expert
Egypt currently leads Group A with 10 points after four qualifying matches. With Hassan in charge, Egypt is getting closer to qualifying for its fourth World Cup, an accomplishment Hassan accomplished as a player 34 years before.
The year began with significant setbacks, particularly Egypt’s early exit from the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a dramatic penalty loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite finishing second in their group after a series of draws, Egypt’s performance was deemed disappointing, which led to the dismissal of Vitoria and the appointment of Hassan as coach in February.
FIFA acknowledged the positive change under Hassan, who quickly began his tenure with a solid 1-0 victory over New Zealand in the semi-finals of the Egypt Capital Cup, before losing to Croatia in the final. Egypt's fortunes have now improved drastically, with the squad winning convincingly in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Pharaohs won against Cape Verde 3-0, Botswana 4-0, and Mauritania 2-0, keeping their defense strong in the qualifiers. Even though they had a few draws in the later rounds, Egypt still made it to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
FIFA highlighted Egypt’s strong showing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where the team has not lost a single game under coach Hassan. They secured big wins against Djibouti and Sierra Leone, with star player Mohamed Salah playing a key role.
With ten points from four qualifiers, Egypt now leads Group A. Under Hassan's leadership, Egypt is getting closer to making it to the World Cup for the fourth time, something Hassan accomplished as a player thirty-four years ago.
FIFA concluded its assessment by stating that, while Egypt's route to the World Cup remains difficult, the team's recent results provide optimism of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be staged in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Egypt's next games will be against Ethiopia in March 2025, followed by a vital encounter against Sierra Leone later that month.
