Al-Ahly launches fierce attack on the Football Association: crisis-inducing decisions and catastrophic statements

Al Ahly have opened a new front with the Egyptian Football Association. In a strongly worded letter, the club criticised a number of the association's recent decisions, arguing they do nothing to develop Egyptian football and instead threaten further crises within the sporting system. Al Ahly also accused the association of violating regulations and attacked recent statements from some referees, branding them "catastrophic".

Released today, Sunday, the letter explained that the club had been looking forward to a new phase for the development of Egyptian football. That plan was announced weeks ago by the Minister of Youth and Sports in coordination with the Egyptian Football Association, designed to build on the outstanding level shown by the national team at the recent World Cup.

Instead, the club said via its official website, it was surprised by decisions that inspire no optimism about the coming phase. Rather than help, they fuel fresh crises across the sporting sphere, a direct contradiction of the stated goals for developing the game.

Objection to the choice of head of the referees' committee

Al Ahly objected to the decision to hand the presidency of the referees' committee to an official who had already held the role. The club insisted he had failed to deliver justice for the majority of clubs, Al Ahly foremost among them.

The Egyptian Football Association had announced the appointment of Essam Abdel Fattah as head of the referees' committee for the new 2026/2027 season.

During his previous term, the letter added, that same official put forward terms it described as strange, such as "containment" and "the spirit of the protocol". Al Ahly declared at the time that the referees' committee had lost its credibility and integrity in the eyes of public opinion.

In protest, the club decided to finish the league relying on young players and those returning from injury. It also refused to take part in the Egypt Cup.

Blatant violation of the regulations

The letter affirmed a clear and explicit violation of the regulations. Al Ahly explained that some parties who have not paid the dues owed to state institutions nonetheless obtain the required approvals.

Worse still, it added, the association's president handed these parties media praise, describing them as the most committed to payment and insisting their contracts are valid, as if the contracts of the remaining clubs were not.

According to the club, the president ignored the existence of legitimate and internationally recognised rights, based on the separation between sporting activity contracts and commercial rights contracts.

The association's handling of the Champions League file

Al Ahly also criticised the way the association handled the file on increasing the number of Egyptian clubs in the CAF Champions League.

The president submitted a proposal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to increase the number of places, the club explained, and received a rejection in response. He then concealed the decision for a full week without justification.

That delay raises question marks, Al Ahly argued, especially if the aim was to wait until the clubs obtaining the African licence had been determined.

Catastrophic statements and a black mark

Recent statements from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the match between Ceramica and Al Ahly during the final stage of last season's league drew fierce criticism, as did the comments of one member of the referees' committee. Al Ahly branded them "catastrophic" and a black mark in the history of Egyptian refereeing.

The video technology referee, the club explained, revealed unjustified obstinacy from the on-field referee in refusing to award a valid penalty in Al Ahly's favour.

Confirming the same incident, the member of the referees' committee pointed clearly to someone from outside the association's system interfering in the committee's work. Al Ahly said it had warned against exactly that, repeatedly.

A final message to the Football Association

The club closed its letter by affirming that the association's recent decisions, choices and statements offer no cause for optimism and no encouragement to cooperate.

Al Ahly stressed that the Football Association bears full responsibility for running the system. Everyone was waiting for decisions that serve the interest of all clubs, the club said, because those clubs are the fundamental pillar in preparing the players who delivered the national team's honourable showing at the recent World Cup.

Al Ahly signed off by expressing its hope of restoring matters to their proper course, in a way that serves the interest of Egyptian football and achieves justice among every element of the system.

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