The president of the Egypt Football Association (EFA), Hani Abu Rida, has publicly expressed his full support for national team head coach Hossam Hassan and his technical team as the Pharaohs shift focus to the 2026 World Cup.
Hassan guided Egypt to a fourth-place finish at the recently concluded 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where the team were eliminated by Nigeria following a tense 4-2 penalty shootout defeat.
Speaking after the tournament, Abu Rida praised the coach and his backroom staff for their work, describing the AFCON campaign as “special on all levels.”
“The African Cup of Nations has ended, and I thank Hossam Hassan and the technical and administrative staff for their outstanding work,” Abu Rida said, adding, “The tournament was special for us on all levels,” Abu Rida said.
He also highlighted his long-standing relationship with Hassan and assistant coach Ibrahim Hassan, stressing their commitment to the national team.
“I worked with Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan for long periods, and they have a great sense of patriotism, and most importantly, they are mature in dealing with the team and the players.”
Abu Rida further dismissed any claims of misconduct within the squad during the tournament, stating that no violations occurred and that all players, including those who did not feature, were treated professionally.
“I did not see any violations during the national team camp, and no player who did not participate witnessed any inappropriate behaviour. Hossam Hassan succeeded in involving 26 players, which is an important achievement.
He concluded by underlining the purpose of the conference: to offer public backing to the technical staff as Egypt prepares for the next phase of its World Cup journey.
“The main objective of this conference is to support the technical staff of the Egyptian national team, led by Hossam Hassan,” he added.
