Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan says he will not watch another match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after accusing match officials of treating his side unfairly during their dramatic 3-2 Round of 16 defeat to Argentina.
The Pharaohs looked on course for one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history after opening a two-goal lead through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico. However, second-half goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández completed a remarkable comeback for the defending champions and secured their place in the quarter-finals.
The match was marred by controversy, with Egypt having a goal ruled out following a VAR review and seeing appeals for a penalty dismissed, decisions that sparked furious protests from the Egyptian bench.
Speaking after the match, an emotional Hassan said he would boycott the remainder of the tournament in protest.
“It is my own way of speaking up and standing up. I am not going to watch a single match of this tournament.”
The Egypt coach questioned the standard of officiating, insisting his team had been denied a fair chance to progress.
“Why isn’t there any fairness in sport? In football? I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording. We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice.”
Hassan also suggested circumstances surrounding the appointment of the match officials had raised concerns before kick-off.
“There were internal and external factors. The Egyptian Football Association had objected to the appointment of the French referee before the match.”
Television cameras showed the 59-year-old confronting the officials after Argentina’s stoppage-time winner, while goalkeeping coach Saafan El-Sagheer was sent off during the heated scenes on the touchline. Hassan also had to be restrained by members of his coaching staff.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Egypt concluded one of the most memorable World Cup campaigns in the nation’s history. The Pharaohs topped their group before defeating Australia on penalties to secure their first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout victory, and they came within minutes of eliminating the reigning champions.
Mohamed Salah captained a side that earned widespread praise throughout the tournament, while goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir emerged as one of Egypt’s standout performers after saving Lionel Messi’s first-half penalty and producing a series of crucial saves against Argentina.
