Khaled El-Darandaly, Vice President of the Egyptian Football Association, revealed an important surprise regarding Hossam Hassan’s future with the national team, during which he explained the details of the contract and the preparation plans for the upcoming period in preparation for participating in the World Cup.
During his appearance on "MBC Egypt 2" channel, Al-Darandali confirmed that Hossam Hassan's contract with the Egyptian national team is officially valid until the end of the Pharaohs' participation in the 2026 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, noting that the federation places technical stability at the top of its priorities.
The Vice President of the Football Association explained that Hossam Hassan’s continuation after the 2026 World Cup remains a strong option, but it is directly linked to the results achieved by the national team and the overall performance during the tournament in a way that serves the long-term development project of the national team.
Al-Darandali also pointed out that the Pharaohs' coach aspires to have the longest possible preparation period before the World Cup competitions in order to prepare the players physically and technically in the best possible way, especially in light of the strength of the teams participating in the tournament.
He explained: "Hossam Hassan hopes to get the national team the longest possible preparation period before traveling to participate in the World Cup. He requested an additional week or ten days in the camp, to start from the 5th until the 25th, or even before that if possible."
Khaled El-Darandaly: Hossam Hassan's contract runs until the World Cup, and the results will be the deciding factor in everything. pic.twitter.com/YX66NIwmeS
He added: “All these proposals are currently being studied, especially since these matters have been discussed and are being debated at the moment. As for what Hossam Hassan said regarding reducing the number of professional players, it is just a suggestion and has not been discussed or decided upon yet.”
Egypt is in Group G of the World Cup, alongside Belgium, Iran and New Zealand. This group requires strong preparation and precise technical choices to ensure competition for qualification spots.
