On Monday, 19 October 2026, the Egyptian Football Association said it had received FIFA Disciplinary Committee decisions: head coach Hossam Hassan, a three-match suspension; national-team director Ibrahim Hassan, also three; forward Mostafa Zico, five. This is a sporting sanction, not a criminal conviction.

Al Jazeera ties the punishment to criticism of the officials after Egypt’s 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 defeat by Argentina in Atlanta on 6 July 2026. Hossam Hassan, 60, said then that his side had been “cheated unfairly”. Zico insulted the referee in a post-match interview, according to reports carried with the federation’s statement.

The EFA has asked FIFA for the detailed grounds of the rulings, to study them and weigh the legal path. That is not an appeal already filed. Al Jazeera writes that the federation plans to contest after that review; a plan is not a lodged case.

We do not fix here which matches the bans will cover. Outlets mention Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi in November and the first March window; FIFA, in the reporting consulted, did not publish an exact ban calendar. Zico “unavailable until June” remains a press projection, not a FIFA notice quoted as such.

Egypt led 2-0. A Zico goal was ruled out after VAR spotted a foul on Lisandro Martínez earlier in the move. Argentina came back; Enzo Fernández’s winner came as Egypt appealed for a penalty that Hassan said VAR did not check. FIFA’s refereeing chief, Pierluigi Collina, defended the officiating and warned that such claims can put referees and their families at risk.

Ibrahim Hassan, the coach’s twin and the team’s manager, received the same three-match term. Al Jazeera includes him in the same committee decision, not a separate file.

The match referee, François Letexier, is named in Al Jazeera’s report. The suspensions concern the post-match comments, not a finding that the officiating was wrong.

Image: Cairo International Stadium, 26 June 2019, Crosskimo, public domain, Wikimedia Commons. The Cairo ground, not the Atlanta match.

Sources consulted: Egypt’s Hassan and Zico suspended over FIFA World Cup refereeing criticism — Al Jazeera; اتحاد الكرة يتلقى قرارات "انضباط" فيفا بشأن حسام وإبراهيم حسن وزيكو — Egyptian FA; FIFA suspends coach Hassan and forward Zico for three and five matches — The Straits Times.