Egyptian Football Federation Probes Cyberattack After World Cup Loss to Argentina
The controversy following Egypt's 3-2 loss to Argentina in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup continues to escalate beyond the pitch. Argentina is preparing for their semifinal match against England, but Egypt remains unsettled by the dramatic late turnaround that decided the game. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has launched an investigation after reports emerged that its email systems were hacked and used to send protest messages to journalists. According to The Athletic, several media personnel received emails allegedly sent from an AFA account, signed by "Egyptian Cyber Warriors," condemning the refereeing decisions as unfair and labeling Argentina's victory as "stolen." The messages accused the referees of biased officiating throughout the match and criticized Egypt's coach, Hossam Hassan, for his public support of Palestinians. The emails ended with a veiled threat warning that if justice is not served on the field, there would be no peace online.
The AFA confirmed the investigation, acknowledging the possibility of unauthorized access to one of their accounts and clarifying that the messages were not written or approved by their staff. Their IT department is working to determine the source and scope of the breach. A spokesperson later stated the issue had been "resolved" but did not disclose further details or identify the perpetrators.
Following the match, Egyptian players and staff expressed strong dissatisfaction. Forward Mostafa Ziko claimed the World Cup seemed biased toward Argentina, while coach Hossam Hassan insisted his team was clearly wronged, citing a legitimate disallowed goal and a denied penalty in the final minutes. Hassan declared he would no longer watch the World Cup, asserting the competition lacked fairness. In subsequent interviews, he criticized the referee for causing chaos and tension that disrupted Egypt's focus and performance. Hassan and his twin brother Ibrahim, part of the coaching staff, also accused Argentine players of deliberately provoking Egyptian players to incite confrontations.
Hassan revealed that during preparations, he avoided mentioning Lionel Messi by name to prevent intimidating his players, instead referring to him by his jersey number to help the team maintain confidence and identity independent of their opponent's star power. He aimed to build a clear tactical identity for Egypt that did not rely on the opponent's reputation or individual stars.
The investigation into the cyberattack and the ongoing fallout from the match highlight the deep tensions and frustrations surrounding Egypt's World Cup exit.
