Zamalek’s board released a statement responding to Al Ahly’s communication with the Egyptian Football Association over refereeing standards. The club expressed surprise at the early campaign against domestic officials prior to the formation of the referees committee for the upcoming season. Such actions including early threats against referees, objections to certain appointments and revisiting last season’s decisions to create doubt are completely unacceptable, the statement said. The club added that these tactics appear designed to place pressure on referees before the new campaign, a pattern observed in recent years.
Casting doubt on the credibility of Egyptian referees or the country’s football system should not be tolerated, according to the Zamalek statement. The club praised the EFA board led by president Hany Abou Rida for ongoing efforts to improve football administration. Zamalek noted that these efforts build on the national team’s run to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, where Egypt advanced to the knockout stage before a controversial exit against Argentina that prompted an EFA complaint to FIFA in July.
The Zamalek statement welcomed confirmation from the EFA president that the club’s player contracts remain valid. It called on the federation and relevant authorities to review contracts of players at other clubs in the interest of full transparency across Egyptian football. Hany Abou Rida began his second term as EFA president in late 2024 after previously serving from 2016 to 2019, a Wikipedia profile of the administrator records.
Refereeing disputes have formed a recurring feature of the Egyptian Premier League for years, with both Al Ahly and Zamalek among clubs that have previously raised concerns over match officials. Al Ahly had submitted objections to the EFA that included claims of inappropriate treatment of its players by certain referees and questions over the appointment process for foreign officials in high-profile fixtures, Egyptian sports media reports indicated. The latest exchange underscores persistent tensions between the two Cairo clubs that extend beyond on-field competition.
The EFA has sought to address refereeing standards as part of broader administrative reforms under Abou Rida’s leadership. Zamalek’s statement urged all parties to avoid undermining the system’s integrity at the start of the new season. Egyptian football officials have previously highlighted the importance of maintaining confidence in domestic referees amid growing commercial and competitive pressures in the league.
Al Ahly and Zamalek rank as the most successful clubs in Egyptian football history, with their rivalry shaping much of the national game’s narrative. The current disagreement arrives as the EFA works to capitalise on the national team’s improved international performances, including the recent World Cup campaign that ended after the loss to Argentina amid disputed refereeing decisions. Both clubs are expected to feature prominently in the upcoming domestic season that kicks off later this month.
