"The decisions I took today were not meant ever to target certain persons, nor did I intend to embarrass institutions, nor was my aim to narrow freedoms, " Mr Mursi said late on Sunday during a speech to mark the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos issued a rallying call in his speech to mark the official opening of the competition, which was attended by several heads of state, including South Africa's Jakob Zuma whose country hosts the World Cup finals later this year.
Perhaps Facebook reasoned that the masses would rather see a pretty face, rather a speech by founder Mark Zuckerberg, not traditionally known for his public-speaking abilities.