Egyptian Football Association distances itself from hairdresser bench controversy

The Egyptian Football Association has moved quickly to set the record straight after a video of hairstylist Ahmed Mounir sitting on the national team bench spread across social media.

The footage, captured just after Egypt’s 2-0 win over Ethiopia at Cairo Stadium, left many supporters puzzled and sparked debate about how he came to be there.

Officials stressed that the association, led by Hany Abo Rida, had no role in the matter and rejected claims of poor organization. A source told Kooora that the image was taken only moments after the final whistle while the players were celebrating their Group A victory in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

According to the same source, Mounir is connected with ON Sport, the broadcaster of the game, which had built an analysis studio inside the stadium. His presence, they insisted, was unrelated to the association’s responsibilities.

“This person works for ON Sport, the channel broadcasting the match, which set up an analytical studio inside the stadium,” the source said, adding that no mistake was made by the federation.