Egypt's national team coach Hossam Hassan has increasingly blurred the lines between football management and politics, using his platform to express loyalty to President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, a military general who has overseen a sweeping crackdown on dissent since seizing power in 2013. After Egypt's 3-1 victory over New Zealand at the World Cup, Hassan issued a statement of gratitude to al-Sisi, calling the president's congratulatory message "a medal on his chest" with "the effect of magic," and praising the "unprecedented development" of Egyptian sport under al-Sisi's leadership.
Hassan's Historic Achievements as Manager
Hassan, an Egyptian football legend and arguably the nation's greatest ever striker, led the Pharaohs to the World Cup unbeaten with 26 points from a possible 30, then delivered Egypt's first-ever World Cup victory in 92 years, followed by progress to the knockout stage. Despite these achievements, Hassan often makes football seem secondary, frequently expressing deference to the state since his appointment as manager.
Government Expectations and Criticism Control
In late 2025, Sports Minister Ashraf Sobhy made the government's expectations explicit during a CAF/Unilever Afcon Trophy reception, urging journalists and pundits not to criticise the national team's staff and to "have their backs the same way we all have our military and political leadership's backs." After Egypt secured World Cup qualification, Hassan stated that "success begins from the top of the pyramid and the officials of the state" and that his most desired reward was "the chance to meet the president."
Legal Actions Against Critics
Hassan appointed a cassation court lawyer as his official legal spokesperson, granting full authority to pursue those who spread rumours or sow discord. In February, the lawyer filed a complaint with the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) against a TV presenter who criticised the Hassan twins' management on Facebook. The SCMR summoned the presenter's representative for questioning. Another complaint demanded a ban on former player and pundit Reda Abdel Aal, accusing him of trying to "disturb the security and peace of the country." No decisions on these complaints have been announced.
Military and Intelligence Control of Football Infrastructure
Over the past decade, Egyptian football infrastructure has been systematically absorbed by entities linked to the military and intelligence services. The shirt sponsor is the Administrative Capital for Urban Development (ACUD), a military-owned enterprise. Match tickets are sold only via the Tazkarti app, which holds a biometric Fan ID for every stadium-goer and is a subsidiary of United Media Services (UMS), owned by Egypt's General Intelligence Service. Another UMS subsidiary, Sports United, runs TV channels showing domestic leagues, cups, and national team friendlies, and holds exclusive livestreaming rights. Stadiums are managed by Estadat, another UMS entity. The World Cup "Fan Zone" is owned and managed by ACUD, organised by Sports United, with access via Tazkarti. Every point of contact between a supporter and the national team now runs through the state security apparatus.
