UAE second-division side Royal Football Club has appointed Egyptian coach Sarah Hassanein to lead its men’s team. The appointment is considered a rare move in UAE football, where men’s teams are typically managed by male coaches.

Royal’s management said Hassanein was selected based on her technical capabilities, professional qualifications and experience in UAE football.

Mohammed Baghdadi, president of Royal Football Club, said the decision was not made simply to do something different or unconventional, but was the result of the club’s technical assessment and sporting strategy.

Sarah Hassanein Selected on Technical Merit

Baghdadi told Emarat Al Youm that Royal Club is seeking to compete seriously in the Second Division League and achieve positive results as part of a sustainable sporting project.

He said: “Our goal is to compete strongly and achieve positive results as part of a sustainable sporting project. The appointment of this coach was not merely intended as an unconventional step, but was based on a carefully considered technical vision.”

According to the club president, Sarah Hassanein holds the Asian Football Confederation’s highest professional coaching qualification, the AFC Pro Licence, and has considerable experience in UAE women’s football.

Baghdadi also said the club’s management would give the coach the authority and support needed to implement her technical plans.

He believes players’ respect for a head coach depends on the coach’s competence, knowledge and professional character, not whether the coach is a woman or a man.

The Royal Club president expressed hope that the appointment would encourage other clubs to make greater use of the capabilities of female coaches.

Sara Hassanein: I Want to Take Royal to the Higher Divisions

Sara Hassanein told Emarat Al Youm that taking charge of Royal’s men’s team represents a new and significant challenge in her coaching career.

Thanking the club’s management for its confidence in her, she said her goal is to build a strong team and compete for promotion to the higher divisions of UAE football.

Hassanein stressed that the fundamental principles of coaching are the same in men’s and women’s football, with success determined by technical expertise, the ability to manage players and the achievement of positive results.

The Egyptian coach expressed hope that her involvement in men’s football would create more opportunities for female coaches at UAE clubs.

Successful Track Record in UAE Women’s Football and AFC Champions League

Before joining Royal, Sara Hassanein had extensive experience in UAE women’s football.

She began her sporting career as a player before moving into coaching, where she held several roles, including assistant coach and head coach.

Hassanein previously served on the coaching staff of the UAE girls’ youth national team and worked with Abu Dhabi Women’s Football Club for several years.

According to Emarat Al Youm, she led the Abu Dhabi women’s team to successive UAE league titles from 2021 through the 2025–26 season.

One of her most significant achievements was guiding the Abu Dhabi women’s team to the quarter-finals of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League in the 2024–25 season.

The team exited the Asian competition in March 2025 after a narrow 5–4 defeat to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

Hassanein also told Emarat Al Youm that she holds a master’s degree in a football-related field and is preparing to defend her doctoral dissertation in the same discipline.

A New Experience for Female Coaches in Men’s Football

Sara Hassanein’s appointment comes as women remain underrepresented at the helm of men’s football teams in many countries.

The Egyptian coach had already taken charge of Royal in competitive matches before the report was published. According to sports outlet Yallakora, her first match in the dugout was against Gulf United.

According to official UAE Football Association results, Royal secured a 1-0 victory over Gulf United on November 1, 2026.

Hassanein now hopes to draw on her experience in women’s football and professional coaching expertise to turn Royal into a competitive second-division side and pave the way for more female coaches in UAE men’s football.