Palestine isn’t participating in the World Cup, but that didn’t stop Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan from making a statement by waving a Palestinian flag during his team’s match against Australia. This act stirred political discussions surrounding Egypt’s victory.
The video of Hassan went viral, with supporters in the background chanting “Free Palestine, Free!” After the game, he expressed that he dedicated this win to both the “noble” Egyptian and Palestinian peoples.
In an interview post-match, he shared, “My heart and soul are with them. I dedicate this victory to the Palestinians. May Allah grant them victory and have mercy on the martyrs.”
Interestingly, at the tournament’s start, while watching the last group stage game between the USA and Turkey, I spotted a Palestinian flag and found myself wondering about the reasoning behind it. Almost naturally, I thought, “Why is this happening?” Is the Palestinian flag even allowed here?
It’s worth noting that, while Palestine has no formal association with the World Cup, the appearance of its flag is undeniably political. Some see this as divisive. There does seem to be inconsistencies, especially since the Israeli flag is banned from matches, yet we’ve seen the Palestinian flag multiple times during the event.
Up until now, FIFA has not issued a statement addressing this situation or responding to media inquiries about it.
Egypt is slated to take on Lionel Messi and Argentina next in a round of 16 match in Atlanta on Tuesday.
