FIFA’s disciplinary committee has handed three-match suspensions to Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan, and five to Mostafa Zico, the Egypt national team forward, after protests against referee François Letexier. The EFA is demanding the written grounds and is considering an appeal.
Egypt will have to do without their bench and one of their forwards. According to Sport News Africa, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has sanctioned the Pharaohs’ staff: three-match suspensions for head coach Hossam Hassan and national team director Ibrahim Hassan, and a five-match ban for Mostafa Zico. The decisions stem from furious protests against François Letexier, an international referee, during the World Cup 2026 round of 16 lost 3-2 to Argentina.
This Friday, 23 October 2026, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) formally asked FIFA for the detailed grounds of the verdict. The Egyptian body is considering lodging an appeal as soon as it receives the written reasons, the same source says. A procedure that does not, for now, suspend the application of the sanctions: FIFA has not granted suspensive effect to any appeal.
Sanctions that leave the Egypt bench empty
For Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan, the sentence is three matches. The head coach and his national team director will therefore not be able to take their places on the bench at the next official fixtures. Mostafa Zico, for his part, receives a five-match ban, a heavier sanction that deprives the Pharaohs of a forward.
Captain Mohamed Salah was also mentioned in the tensions at the end of the match: he intervened with the refereeing body, according to Sport News Africa. He is not among the players sanctioned.
Letexier at the heart of the tensions
The World Cup 2026 round of 16 between Egypt and Argentina, lost 3-2, has left its mark. The protests against François Letexier, the match referee, are the origin of the suspensions. Hossam Hassan had said in the post-match press conference that his country had been the victim of a grave refereeing injustice.
These sanctions directly affect the stability of the Pharaohs’ national team, on the eve of continental qualifying.
Towards an EFA appeal
The EFA has asked FIFA for the detailed grounds of the decision. As soon as it receives the written reasons, the federation is considering lodging an appeal, according to Sport News Africa. But the world body has not granted suspensive effect: the sanctions apply as they stand, and the Egypt bench will remain empty for the next official matches.
According to the announced timetable, FIFA must send the written grounds and the EFA must lodge its appeal within ten days.