The crisis surrounding the Cairo derby match between Al-Ahly and Zamalek in the Egyptian Premier League for the 2024/2025 season has escalated, after Al-Ahly club, led by Mahmoud El-Khatib, announced its refusal to play the match with Egyptian referees, demanding a postponement until a foreign officiating team is appointed.

Al-Ahly issued an official statement emphasizing its insistence on the decision of the Professional Clubs Association to rely on foreign referees for derby matches, considering that the appointment of referee Mahmoud Basyouni to officiate the match does not achieve the principle of fairness between the competing teams. Al-Ahly confirmed that if its demands are not met, it will announce its withdrawal from the Egyptian Premier League for the current season.

History of Withdrawals in the Cairo Derby between Al-Ahly and Zamalek:

The derby matches between the two giants of Egyptian football have witnessed several withdrawal incidents throughout history, whether from Al-Ahly or Zamalek, due to various reasons related to refereeing decisions, match timings, or administrative objections.

Zamalek's Withdrawals from the Derby:

Season 1947/1948: Zamalek withdrew from the derby match in the Cairo League in protest against the timing of the match.

Season 1995/1996: Zamalek withdrew in protest against a goal that came from an offside.

Season 1998/1999: Zamalek withdrew after the expulsion of its player Ayman Abdelaziz.

Season 2019/2020: Zamalek withdrew from the derby match due to the team's bus not arriving at the stadium on time.

Season 2022/2023: Zamalek withdrew from the Egyptian Super Cup match in protest against the decisions of the Football Association, which led to Pyramids participating instead.

Al-Ahly's Withdrawals from the Derby:

Season 1928/1929: Al-Ahly withdrew from the derby match in the quarter-finals of the Egyptian Cup due to riots.

Season 1940/1941: Al-Ahly withdrew from the derby match in the Egyptian league after Zamalek secured the title early.

Season 1965/1966: Al-Ahly withdrew due to a refereeing crisis involving its goalkeeper Marwan Khenfany.

Season 1971/1972: Al-Ahly withdrew in protest against a goal scored by Zamalek, which led to riots.

Season 2003/2004: Al-Ahly withdrew from the Arab Championship for refusing to play against Zamalek with the new signings.

The derby match between Al-Ahly and Zamalek is scheduled to take place today, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 9:30 PM Cairo time, and 10:30 PM Mecca time, at the Cairo International Stadium.

The coming hours will be crucial in determining Al-Ahly's final position, amidst significant public anticipation for the Football Association's decision, and whether it will meet the red team's demands or if the Egyptian league will witness a new crisis.