FIFA suspends Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and Zico for referee criticism after World Cup exit

FIFA has suspended Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan for three matches following his criticism of the referee after the Pharaohs’ World Cup knockout defeat to Argentina.

Egypt forward Mostafa Zico has received a five-match suspension, while national team manager Ibrahim Hassan, the head coach’s twin brother, has also been handed a three-match ban.

The sanctions were imposed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, according to a statement released by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) on Monday.

The disciplinary action follows the controversy surrounding Egypt’s elimination by Argentina, after which Hossam Hassan criticized the officiating during the match.

The Egyptian Football Association has indicated that it intends to challenge the sanctions after reviewing the legal grounds for the decisions.

The EFA said it had formally requested “the detailed reasons and justifications for the decisions” from FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee.

The football association will assess the explanations before deciding how to proceed with its appeal.

The suspensions represent a setback for Egypt as the national team prepares for its upcoming international fixtures, with the availability of key technical staff and players potentially affected.

Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan could miss Egypt’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Malawi in November, as well as the opening fixture of the March international window, depending on how the suspensions are applied.

Zico’s five-match ban is expected to keep the forward unavailable until June, potentially affecting his involvement in Egypt’s international program during that period.

Egypt will now await further clarification from FIFA as the EFA considers its next steps in response to the disciplinary decisions.