Egypt national team manager Hossam Hassan has called for a review of the foreign player regulations in the Egyptian league, proposing a reduction in the number of foreign players from 5 to 3, arguing that the national team's experience at the 2026 World Cup highlighted the importance of giving Egyptian players greater opportunities for regular club participation.
Speaking in television comments, Hossam Hassan said that cutting the number of foreign players to just 3 would help increase the number of minutes Egyptian players receive, which would have a positive impact on the national team's selection options ahead of future competitions.
The manager added that the large number of foreign players in club line-ups presents a major challenge for the national team's technical staff, explaining: "Having only 3 foreigners will give the Egyptian player a greater chance to participate."
He noted that some clubs rely on a large number of foreign players in their starting line-ups, saying: "Eight out of 11 players on the pitch are foreigners — what is the national team coach supposed to do? Which club is he supposed to pick from?" By this figure, Hossam Hassan is referring to the fact that certain players — such as Palestinian players — are treated as local players under league regulations, which effectively reduces the number of Egyptian players available for selection.
Hossam Hassan stressed that the Egyptian national team participated in the recent World Cup relying on players from the domestic league, making it a technical necessity to provide Egyptian players with playing opportunities in the local competition in order to broaden the selection pool and maintain the readiness of international players.