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The absence raised questions
Questions about Haitham Hassan’s absence from Egypt’s World Cup 2026 group stage games have been dispelled after Pharaohs coach Hossam Hassan revealed some of the behind-the-scenes behind the player’s delayed participation, stressing that the reason was not technical, but rather that he was disrupting the administrative process in the first place.
During the press conference held after the confrontation with Australia, Hossam Hasan spoke about Haitham Hasan’s non-participation in the group stage matches and answered the question about the football player’s non-participation, saying:
“This is because there are internal issues that I cannot address because some documents have delayed his participation. We noticed the speed of harmony with Haitham Hasan’s team. The player joined the national team a few months ago and is considered a great addition to the future of the Egyptian national team.”
The media stated that the reason for the delay in Haitham Hassan’s participation was the administrative crisis related to his previous representation in the French youth team, as the Egyptian national team’s administrative body had to complete the procedures to update the player’s data through the International Football Federation (FIFA) system to prove his international affiliation with the Egyptian national team.
Reports suggested that the delay in completing these procedures before the start of the tournament prevented the player from being registered in a way that would allow him to participate in the group stage matches until the administrative crisis was later resolved, making him available to participate with the national team.
Haitham Hassan made his first appearance in the Egyptian national team during the confrontation with Australia, when he came on as a substitute in the second half. He gave a special performance that was widely praised by the Egyptian fans. He also formed a remarkable attacking partnership with national team captain Mohamed Salah, and the pair managed to threaten the Australian national team’s goal on several occasions.
Egypt qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating fellow Australians 4-2 on penalties after regular and extra time (1-1) in Round 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium.
