Egypt Coach Waves Palestinian Flag After 4-2 Penalty Win Over Australia

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan waved a Palestinian flag on the pitch after his team defeated Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw in the World Cup round of 32 on Friday. The match took place in Arlington, Texas. Egypt reached the knockout stage for the first time in its fourth World Cup appearance.

Hassan said he was dedicating the victory to the “good and noble” Egyptian and Palestinian people. “My heart and soul are with them,” he said in a postgame interview. ” circulated widely on social media.

Hassan has no known religious or political affiliations and rose to prominence as a street footballer in Egyptian slums during the 1980s and 1990s. The result occurred against the backdrop of the Gaza conflict that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel’s response has killed 73,066 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, leaving more than 2 million residents largely displaced. Similar flag displays by athletes, including Spain’s Lamine Yamal earlier in 2026, have drawn criticism from Israel’s defense minister. FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether it would take action against Hassan.

The organization has previously restricted political expressions on the pitch, including armbands at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.