Egypt focused on football amid Pride celebrations, coach Hassan says
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group G – New Zealand v Egypt – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada – June 21, 2026 Egypt coach Hossam Hassan runs onto the pitch waving their national flag after the match REUTERS/Lee Smith
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SEATTLE, June 25 : Egypt are focused on football amid complaints from their soccer association and Iran about local organisers’ decision to designate the game as Seattle’s “Pride Match”, coach Hossam Hassan said on Thursday.
The winners of Friday’s match could top Group G, depending on the result between Belgium and New Zealand, but the build-up has been dominated by how two countries where homosexuality is criminalised have been drawn to play the game.
Egypt and Iran both objected after December’s draw, though FIFA, which says what happens outside the stadium is a matter for host cities, has confirmed fans will be allowed to bring rainbow flags to the World Cup match.
Egypt coach Hassan did not directly answer when asked about Seattle’s Pride celebrations coinciding with the game, saying they were all focused on football.
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“FIFA is, of course, taking care of the organisational side,” Hassan told reporters. “We have our Egyptian FA who handles and manages those things.
“We are concerned with football on the pitch. We respect, once again, respect and fair play as rules for everyone to abide by and any guidelines set forth by FIFA.”
HASSAN HAILS ‘NEW VERSION’ OF SALAH
Hassan also declined to speak about Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoei’s comments that travel restrictions, since eased, made them the tournament’s “most oppressed team”.
“Each and every national team has the right to take part in the tournament and is entitled to equal treatment and FIFA makes a huge effort to give everyone equal chances to guarantee respect and fair play,” Hassan said.
The hopes of Egyptian fans are, as ever, largely pinned on their talismanic captain Mohamed Salah, who was instrumental to the Pharaohs’ first World Cup victory over New Zealand, playing in a relatively new central role.
Salah is a single goal away from becoming Egypt’s joint record goalscorer – and would share the record with Hassan himself – but Hassan emphasised the importance of the squad for Friday’s “high-stakes fixture”.
“We do not put everything on one star or two stars and just bet that they will bring it for us,” Hassan said.
The coach added that Salah’s central position gave the forward more freedom.
“I think it’s a new version of Mo Salah at the moment. He plays in a new position – he plays very freely in a very creative way,” he said.
Source: Reuters
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