Al Ahly Criticizes FA, Zamalek, and Refereeing Decisions

Al Ahly has criticized the Egyptian Football Association following the formation of the referee committee and the approval of the names of clubs participating in African tournaments.

The Egyptian Football Federation's Board of Directors has approved the clubs participating in the African competitions. Zamalek and Pyramids will play in the CAF Champions League, while Al Ahly and ZED will compete in the Confederation Cup for the 2026-2027 season.

The club sent a letter today, Sunday, to the Egyptian Football Association stating that: "It was looking forward to starting the implementation of the development plan for Egyptian football that was previously announced by the Minister of Youth and Sports, in conjunction with the Football Association a few weeks ago, to capitalize on the good level displayed by the national team in the recent World Cup."

Al Ahly stated in its announcement: "The club was surprised by some decisions that do not inspire optimism for what is to come, but rather contribute to stirring crises in the sports community. The Football Association has appointed a head of the referees committee who previously held this position and did not provide fairness for the majority of clubs, especially Al Ahly. He introduced strange terms such as 'containment' and 'the spirit of the protocol,' which led the club to announce to the public that the referees committee has lost its credibility and integrity. Consequently, the club decided to continue the league competition with young players and those returning from injuries, and refused to participate in the cup tournament.

The attack on the Football Association continues subtly after Zamalek obtained the license to participate in the African competitions. He stated: "Those who do not comply with the payment of state institutions' dues receive the necessary approvals, and the president of the federation grants them a badge of excellence in the media, claiming they are the most compliant and that their contracts are valid, as if the contracts of other clubs are not valid. He forgets that there are legitimate rights recognized globally in separating sports performance contracts from commercial rights contracts."

The letter pointed out what he termed: "The president of the federation submitted a proposal to CAF to increase the number of clubs participating in the Champions League, and when he received a rejection, he kept it under wraps for a week without justification, unless it was waiting to determine the clubs that obtained the African license."

The club described the statements made in recent hours by the VAR official in the match between Ceramica and Al Ahly during the final phase of last season's league, as well as a member of the referees committee, as "catastrophic and a black mark on the face of the Egyptian refereeing system."

He explained: "These statements revealed the unjust obstinacy of the match referee in not awarding a legitimate penalty in favor of Al Ahly, and clearly pointed to what the club has previously warned about many times, that there is someone outside the federation's system interfering in the work of the referees' committee."

Al Ahly concluded its statement by saying: "The statements, decisions, and choices of the Football Federation do not inspire optimism or cooperation. The federation must take responsibility... Everyone was waiting for what serves the interests of all clubs, which have significantly contributed to producing and preparing outstanding players who helped the national team in the World Cup. The club hopes to restore matters to their rightful place to serve Egyptian football."