Egypt boss Hossam Hassan collapses amid wives’ brawl at Porto Marina

Egypt national team manager Hossam Hassan was left unconscious after attempting to break up a violent dispute publicly between his two wives at a hotel in Porto Marina, where he subsequently fainted and later divorced his first wife, Howaida El‑Gharbawy.

Reports state an argument broke out between Howaida El‑Gharbawy and Dina Mostafa, Hassan’s first and second wives respectively, inside a café at the hotel. Security personnel were forced to intervene as the confrontation quickly escalated to physical violence. Both women suffered cuts and bruises during the altercation.

Hassan (right) tried to put a stop to the scuffle but ended up fainting, prompting onlookers to intervene. Getty images later showed him lying on the floor as security attended to the scene.

Legal backdrop of polygamy

Following the incident, Hassan elected to divorce his first wife, Howaida. The divorce was confirmed by Mohamed Shams, the lawyer of Hassan’s second wife, Dina. The couple share three children and had previously separated in 2022 before briefly reconciling ten days later. Hassan married Dina in 2015.

Egyptian law permits a man to marry up to four wives simultaneously, provided he informs both his previous and future spouses. After a divorce, a woman must wait three months before remarrying, while a man faces no waiting period. These provisions frame the legal backdrop of Hassan’s personal situation.

World Cup fallout and Hassan’s remarks

The bizarre scandal unfolded just over a month after the 2026 World Cup, where Hassan led Egypt to the round of 16. Egypt were eliminated by eventual finalists Argentina in a 3‑2 defeat. Enzo Fernandez scored Argentina’s third goal, overturning a two‑goal lead secured by Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko.

During the match, Egypt’s goalkeeping coach Saafan El‑Sagheer received a red card and Hassan was dragged away by officials. In a post‑match interview, Hassan accused the opposition of receiving support at every level, saying, “We looked better than the reigning champions – better in everything – but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it.”