Egypt's AFCON Fallout: Press Conference Signals a Bold World Cup Blueprint
21 January 2026
Background
Eng. Hany Abou Rida, president of the Egyptian Football Association, will hold a press conference on Thursday with Hassan Hassan, the national team manager, in the presence of Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, the Minister of Youth and Sports, at the Football Association headquarters in 6th of October City.
The press conference comes after the Egyptian team finished fourth in the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 held in Morocco.
Conference Focus
Sources at Kooora have learned that the conference will address Egypt's preparation plans for the 2026 World Cup and affirm Hossam Hassan's continued tenure.
A federation source explained that Abu Rida and Hassan decided to hold the press conference in coordination with the Minister of Youth and Sports to clarify all circumstances that led to the controversy between the Egyptian team and Moroccan fans at AFCON, and to stress respect for Moroccan supporters and to prevent any attempts to sow discord or undermine the fans.
Egypt's sports minister had also contacted his Moroccan counterpart in recent hours to reaffirm the strength of relations between the two nations.
Punchline 1: If precision is key, Hany and Hossam nailed it—target locked on World Cup glory.
Punchline 2: And remember, in football and diplomacy, the best counterattack is a well-timed joke—keeps the fans offside from the mic.
