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Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Infantino explores Egypt's beauty - Sports - Al-Ahram Weekly
The week started with the visit of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to Egypt's North Coast city of Alamein where he was received by Egyptian Football Association President Hani Abu Rida who is also a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the FIFA Council. Infantino expressed his happiness to be spending his summer vacation in Egypt, emphasising the uniqueness of football in a country he described as proud of the game. 'The passion for football runs deep in Egypt... and the North Coast is one of the jewels of the Mediterranean,' he said. In the coastal city of New Alamein, Infantino met Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi and Abu Rida. The visit focused on strengthening collaboration to support the development of football in Egypt. In a phone call, Egypt's Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli extended a warm welcome to Infantino. During the call, Madbouli thanked the FIFA president for choosing Egypt as a destination for his family vacation, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Saturday. This came during a meeting between Sobhi and Infantino, in the presence of Abu Rida. 'Choosing Egypt to spend the holiday reflects the international community's growing trust in Egypt as a premier tourist destination,' Sobhi said, adding that 'this underscores the country's safety, stability, and its prominent position on the global tourism map.' 'Infantino's visit is a testament to the appeal of Egypt's modern cities, especially New Alamein which offers world-class amenities and infrastructure, making it an attractive option for visitors from around the world,' Sobhi added. Infantino took to his official Instagram account to reflect on the call he received from Madbouli. 'It was an honour to have a call with the Prime Minister of Egypt, Mostafa Madbouli, and to meet my good friend, the Minister of Youth and Sport, Ashraf Sobhi, alongside FIFA council member and President of the Egyptian Football Association Hani Abu Rida, in Alamein, on Egypt's northern coast, one of the true jewels of the Mediterranean. 'We are working closely together to support the development of football in Egypt- a country where passion for our beautiful game runs deep. You only have to look at the incredible support for clubs like Al Ahly, especially from their fans during the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, to see just how much football means here. 'Egypt is a proud football nation and it's always that energy and commitment [I see] first-hand.' Also, this week the EFA had the opportunity to 'Give every talent a chance' through the FIFA Talent Development Schemes (TDS) programme. Youth development enables each Member Association (MA) to reach its full potential through the TDS where 25 Egyptian female coaches participated in cooperation between FIFA and the Egyptian Football Association, hosted by the National Teams Centre in Cairo. According to FIFA, the conclusion of the first phase of the FIFA TDS data clearly showed that talent development has a positive impact upon later success, both domestically and internationally. A concerted effort from all stakeholders (FIFA, confederations, associations, leagues and clubs) to influence the key factors of talent development could lead to a higher competitive balance. The top MAs appear to be supporting talent development throughout the pathway to a greater extent. However, it is clear that there is still work to be done to truly give every talent a chance. 'Everything is connected in our sport. We are all connected. Giving every talent a chance requires everyone to play their part,' Infantino said. The first phase included Cairo, Giza, and Qalyubia, with junior men's tests taking place on Monday and Tuesday, while women's tests were held on Wednesday. The second phase was held in Port Said on Friday. The tests were attended by Mustafa Azzam, Executive Director of the Egyptian Football Association, and Alaa Nabil, technical director of the association and project supervisor. Also present were Ahmed Al-Gohari, project director, Atef Attia, general coordinator, and a FIFA delegation, which included Anthony Baffoe, director of the Talent Project in Africa, and Laban Scott Lippi, Harry Varley, and Leszczew Georgiowski, all talent scouts. The project includes technical directors Rami Adel and Youssef Fawaz, along with Bassem Khairat, the youth goalkeeper coach, and technical directors Mustafa Mounir and Nashwa Sharabi, in addition to Rama Gweili, the girls' coordinator. The project also included talent scouts Mohamed Al-Yamani, Ahmed Abdel-Latif, and Sherif Al-Tala'a. The TDS project aims to discover talented players at the age group (born in 2011) and provide them with technical, health and physical support under the auspices of the Egyptian Football Association, through the association's technical director and the best training cadres. On the other hand, the EFA received news that the FIFA Referees Committee has announced the list of female referees participating in the Women's World Cup in Morocco, including Egyptian international assistant referee Yara Atef, who has previously represented Egyptian referees in numerous African and international tournaments, most notably the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, and the FIFA Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic. Furthermore, Egyptian referees kicked off in Alexandria in preparation for the launch of the new Premier League. The referees were divided into three groups. The first group included 32 referees (18 field referees and 14 assistants). * A version of this article appears in print in the 7 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Zamalek sign Moroccan U-20 winger Abdelhamid Maali on five-year deal - Egyptian Football
Zamalek have completed the signing of Morocco U-20 winger Abdelhamid Maali from Ittihad Tanger on a five-year contract; the Cairo giants announced on Monday. The 19-year-old is considered one of the top emerging talents in the Moroccan league and has featured regularly for Morocco's youth national teams. He was promoted to Ittihad Tanger's senior squad in the 2022–23 season and made 44 appearances for the first team. Maali will be registered with Zamalek's youth team and will not count toward the six-foreign-player quota permitted by the Egyptian Football Association. League regulations allow clubs to register six foreign players, with a maximum of five allowed on the pitch at any one time. The Moroccan winger becomes Zamalek's sixth new signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Swedish-Palestinian winger Adam Kaied, goalkeeper El-Mahdi Soliman, Angolan winger Chico Banza, and Pharco FC duo Amr Nasser and Ahmed Sherif. Meanwhile, Egyptian Premier League side ZED FC confirmed on Monday that defender Mohamed Ismael has joined Zamalek, although the latter have yet to officially announce the deal. 'Thank you, Mohamed Ismael. Wish you the best in your next journey at Zamalek,' ZED FC wrote in a post on their official Facebook page. Zamalek are rebuilding after a disappointing campaign last season, in which they finished third in the Egyptian Premier League and exited the CAF Confederation Cup at the quarter-final stage. They begin the new season with a challenging opener against Ceramica Cleopatra on 9 August at Suez Stadium. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
22-06-2025
- Sport
- See - Sada Elbalad
Official: Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC in the Champions League
Amir Haggag The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) notified the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of the participation of Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC in the new edition of the CAF Champions League, as the first and second placed teams in the Egyptian Premier League competition last season (2024-25). Zamalek, the Egypt Cup champion, and Al-Masry, the fourth-placed team in the league table, will also participate in the CAF Confederation Cup. The Egyptian Professional Clubs Association set August 8 as the start date for the new 2025-26 Premier League season, following its recent meeting with the EFA and the heads of the Premier League clubs, and after agreement with the EFA and Hossam Hassan, the national team coach. The Egyptian Football Association announced the end of the Egyptian Premier League in May 2026. This is the second consecutive season in which the association has fulfilled its pledge to finish the competition in line with the schedules of the major European leagues, following years of confusion and postponements that disrupted the league's schedule. The league's start date, set for August 8th instead of the 15th, was brought forward so that players can play three or four rounds with their clubs before the national team's training camp in September to resume its 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The league also aims to end the competition well before the World Cup, allowing the national team to set up its training camp in preparation for the tournament in a timely manner. This comes as part of the Egyptian Football Association and the association's efforts to provide the national team with every means of comfort and success. The new season will see the participation of 21 teams, following the decision to abolish relegation last season. The league will be held in a two-stage format, with the first stage being played in a single-round league format. The teams will then be divided into two groups: a crowning group, which includes the teams competing for the title and continental championship qualifying spots, and a relegation group, which will compete to remain in the league. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Pyramids coach criticises Egyptian FA's lack of support before CAF Champions League final second leg
TOUGH SCHEDULE Pyramids FC coach Krunoslav Jurcic criticised the Egyptian Football Association for poor fixture scheduling, citing lack of support ahead of the CAF Champions League final second leg. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix They may have the advantage after the first leg of the CAF Champions League final with their away goal in the 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns over the weekend, but Pyramids FC coach Krunoslav Jurcic has slammed the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) for its fixture scheduling. Pyramids struck in added time to rescue the draw that will have come as a heavy blow for hosts Sundowns, at Loftus Versfeld, in Pretoria, on Saturday. For Sundowns, their entire focus will have been on the Champions League since they played their final Betway Premiership match on 18 May. In fact, Sundowns had already secured the league title - their eighth in a row - on 14 May when they beat Chippa United.
Al-Ahram Weekly
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Balanced Group for Egypt in FIFA Arab Cup - National Teams
Egypt have been drawn into a balanced group for the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup (Qatar 2025), placed in Group C alongside the UAE, Jordan, and either Kuwait or Mauritania. The FIFA Arab Cup will take place in Qatar from 1 to 18 December 2025. Egypt will compete in the regional tournament with a home-based national team, under the guidance of newly appointed coach Helmi Toulane. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced Toulane's appointment last week. Group A: Qatar, Tunisia, Syria or South Sudan, and Palestine or Libya. Group B: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman or Somalia, Comoros or Yemen. Group C: Egypt, UAE, Jordan, and one of Kuwait or Mauritania. Group D: Algeria, Iraq, Bahrain or Djibouti, and Lebanon or Sudan. The qualifiers for the Arab Cup will be held on November 25 and 26, 2025. Egypt last participated in the Arab Cup in 2021, finishing fourth under Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz. The 2025 FIFA Arab Cup will be the 11th edition of the regional competition and the second edition under FIFA's jurisdiction, after previous tournaments were organized by the Arab Football Federation. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
