Egypt's national football team faces a coaching crisis ahead of its two matches against Malawi in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has completed its appeal against FIFA's suspensions of head coach Hossam Hassan, team director Ibrahim Hassan, and Pyramids FC player Mostafa Ziko.

The EFA hopes to reduce or cancel the bans before the November international break, as the absence of the three could affect Egypt's preparations for the upcoming matches.

The suspensions followed incidents during Egypt's 3-2 defeat against Argentina in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA suspended Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan for three matches each, while Ziko received a five-match ban.

Official Appeal and Possible Absences

The EFA has completed all legal procedures and is waiting for FIFA's decision.

However, the limited time before the Malawi matches makes it difficult for the three suspended members to return in time.

If the bans remain unchanged, Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan will miss both Malawi matches in November and Egypt's match against Angola in March 2027.

Ziko's suspension could last until June 2027, keeping him out of four remaining qualification matches and one additional official game.

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Assistant coach Tarek Soliman is expected to lead Egypt from the touchline against Malawi if Hossam Hassan remains suspended.

Soliman holds a CAF B coaching license, which allows him to manage matches temporarily when the head coach is suspended, although CAF normally requires head coaches to hold an A license.

Egypt vs Malawi: Dates and Referees

Egypt will face Malawi on November 13 and 17 in the third and fourth rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The first match will take place at Cairo International Stadium at 9:00 PM Cairo time, while the second game in Malawi will begin at 3:00 PM Cairo time.

Both matches will be played after Egypt switches to winter time, meaning the two countries will have the same local time.

The first match will be officiated by Mauritanian referee Abdel Aziz Bouh, assisted by Ibrahim Salem and Youssef Mohamed, with Babacar Sarr serving as the fourth official.

The second match will be managed by Ugandan referee Lucky Razak Kasali, assisted by Ronald Katinya and Emmanuel Okudra, while Dick Okello will be the fourth official.

Egyptian fans are now waiting for FIFA's response as the national team continues preparing for two important matches, with Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan potentially missing from the bench.