Bassem Ali leaves Egypt coaching staff after being barred from training

Egypt assistant coach Bassem Ali has left the national team’s new coaching staff after being prevented from taking part in training, despite being officially appointed by the Football Association on Sunday.

Broadcaster Ibrahim Fayek said Ali had joined the squad’s camp and begun preparations for Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Malawi. He was then informed that he could no longer take part in training on the orders of the Football Association.

Fayek said Ali was surprised by the decision and that head coach Ali Maher was the person who told him he was not allowed to continue. The circumstances have raised questions over the way the coach’s departure was handled, given that he had already joined the camp and started preparing for the upcoming fixture.

“Does that mean you appoint him, let him train, and then bring up the issue of the coaching licence?” Fayek said in a post on his official Facebook account.

“This is your failure from the beginning. It is not an excuse because you appointed him, announced it, allowed him into the camp, and then told him to take his clothes and leave?”

Fayek also criticised the timing of the decision, saying: “If you were going to appoint someone in the first place, appoint him and get it done. Who would have said anything to you?”

His comments suggested that any concerns over Ali’s coaching licence should have been resolved before the Football Association publicly announced his appointment and allowed him to join the national team camp.

Egypt are due to face Malawi in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on 13 November 2026.

The Football Association had announced Ali’s appointment as an assistant coach in Maher’s new technical staff. Maher took charge of Egypt after succeeding Hossam Hassan.

Ali later appeared to confirm that he would not remain with the team in a message published on his personal Instagram account.

“First and foremost, God has destined what has happened, and God never does anything bad to anyone. I accept His wisdom, and praise and thanks always belong to God,” he wrote.

“I hope people support and back Captain Ali Maher and his respected technical staff. It was an honour for me to be one of them, and I wish them every success in the next stage.

“I wanted to be there with them and represent our national team, because being present and representing your country’s national team is a great honour for any coach.

“I wish every success to this respected staff, who deserve support and backing. God will compensate me, God willing.”