Egyptian Premier League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Egyptian Premier League
Nile League

Organising body	Egyptian Football Association
Founded	22 October 1948; 76 years ago (22 October 1948)
Country	Egypt
Confederation	CAF
Number of teams	18
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Egyptian Second Division A
Domestic cup(s)	Egypt Cup Egyptian League Cup Egyptian Super Cup
International cup(s)	CAF Champions League CAF Confederation Cup African Football League
Current champions	Al Ahly (43rd title) (2022–23)
Most championships	Al Ahly SC (43 titles)
Most appearances	Mohamed Abdel Monsef (458)
Top goalscorer	Hassan El-Shazly (173)
TV partners	ONTime Sports and Time Sports (live matches and highlights)
Website	egyptianproleague.com

The Egyptian Premier League, also called the Nile League, is Egypt's top professional football league. It's like the highest level of football in the country. The league has 18 teams. They play each other to see who is the best. Teams can move up or down between this league and the Egyptian Second Division A. Most seasons run from August to May. Games are played throughout the week.

The Egyptian Premier League started in 1948. Before that, there were smaller local leagues. Since it began, 70 different clubs have played in the league. Al Ahly is the most successful club. They have won the title 43 times! Their main rivals, Zamalek, have won it 14 times. Only five other clubs have ever won the league. These are Ghazl El Mahalla, Ismaily, Al Mokawloon Al Arab, Olympic Club, and Tersana.

This league is one of the best in Africa. It's ranked second by CAF. This ranking is based on how well Egyptian teams do in African competitions. Egyptian teams have won the CAF Champions League a record 16 times. Al Ahly was even named the African Club of the Century! Two Egyptian clubs have also won the CAF Confederation Cup.

The Egyptian Premier League used to have many fans in stadiums. It was one of the highest-attended leagues in Africa. However, a sad event happened in 2012. This was the Port Said Stadium riot. After that, matches were played without fans for a while. Slowly, fans have been allowed back into the stadiums. Now, thousands of supporters can watch games again.

History of Egyptian Football

Football came to Egypt when the British were there. The first football club in Egypt was El Sekka El Hadid. It was founded in 1903. Early football cups like the Sultan Hussein Cup began in 1917. At first, English clubs won. But soon, Egyptian clubs like Zamalek started winning. The Egypt Cup began in 1922. Only Egyptian teams played in it. Zamalek won that too.

The first big football league in Egypt started in 1922. It was called the Cairo League. It had clubs from Cairo. Other leagues started in Alexandria and on the Suez Canal. This was when Zamalek and Al-Ahly became very strong. They often won the Cairo League and the Egypt Cup.

In 1938, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) took over these local leagues. The EFA wanted a single national league. The President of the EFA shared this idea with King Farouk I. The King loved football. So, the Egyptian Premier League was created by royal order. It started playing in 1948.

The Early Years (1948–1960)

The very first match was on October 22, 1948. It was between Zamalek and Al Masry SC. Zamalek won 5–1. The first goal in the league was scored by Mohamed Amin of Zamalek. Saad Rustom, also from Zamalek, scored the first three goals (a hat-trick) in that game.

The Al Ahly squad that won the first Egyptian Premier League season.

During these early years, results from Cairo clubs' Premier League matches also counted for the Cairo League. The Cairo League stopped in 1952-53. It was played once more in 1957-58 and then cancelled. Al Ahly won 15 Cairo League titles, and Zamalek won 14. Zamalek focused on the Cairo League early on. They won three titles in a row from 1949 to 1952. Meanwhile, Al Ahly started to dominate the new Egyptian League.

Many great players became famous in the 1950s. These included El-Sayed El-Dhizui, Essam Baheeg, and Saleh Selim. Al Ahly won the first three league titles. In 1949–50, they had to play an extra game against Tersana SC to win. The league didn't play in 1951–52. This was because Egypt's national team was in the 1952 Summer Olympics. Also, the 1952 Egyptian revolution happened. King Farouk was overthrown. His favorite club quickly changed its name to Zamalek after the revolution.

Gamal Abdel Nasser became the new leader. He supported Al Ahly. He was even made the club's honorary president. This made the rivalry between Al-Ahly and Zamalek even stronger. This rivalry is known as the Cairo derby. Al Ahly won the league every season until 1959–60. Most of their wins were very close against Zamalek. The 1954–55 season was even stopped. Al Ahly had a disagreement with the Egyptian Football Association and left the league. No winner was named that year.

A Time of Change (1960–1974)

In the 1959–60 season, Zamalek finally won their first league title. They had been runners-up many times. Tersana came in second, and Al Ahly was third. Zamalek won three titles in this decade. They had new star players like Hamada Emam and Nabil Nosair.

Al Ahly didn't win as many titles during this time. In the 1965–66 season, they finished 6th out of 12 teams. This was closer to being sent down to a lower league than winning the championship. Five different teams won the league in this decade. Ismaily won their first title. El-Olympi and Tersana also won the league for the only time in their history. The 1962–63 and 1963–64 seasons had 24 teams. This was more than ever before.

The Zamalek squad that won the 1963–64 Egyptian Premier League season.

The league stopped playing in 1967 because of the Six-Day War. It didn't start again until the 1971-72 season. In 1969, Ismaily was allowed to play in the CAF Champions League. They were the most recent champions. They became the first Egyptian club to win that competition in 1969. Now, Al Ahly and Zamalek have won it many more times.

In 1971, the league restarted. But it was quickly stopped again. This happened because of fighting at a match between Al Ahly and Zamalek. A disputed penalty for Zamalek led to fans invading the field. The argument was so bad that the league couldn't continue. No winner was declared, even though Zamalek was in first place. Ghazl El Mahalla won the league in the 1972–73 season. This was their only title ever. The league was then stopped again for the 1973–74 season. This was due to the Yom Kippur War. A new cup, the October League Cup, was played instead. Zamalek won it.

After the Wars (1974–2002)

In the 1970s, many new talented players appeared in Egyptian football. These included Hassan Shehata, Mahmoud El Khatib, and Farouk Gaafar. Even though the national team didn't do well, the league was strong. It was full of talented players.

The Zamalek squad that won the 1977–78 Egyptian Premier League season.

After the Yom Kippur War, Al Ahly won three championships in a row. Then Zamalek won one. This pattern continued until 1990. Al Ahly would win many titles, then Zamalek would win one. This was only broken when Al Mokawloon won in 1982–83. This was the last time a team won the league for the very first time. The league went back to 24 teams for the 1975–76 season. But it soon changed back to 12 to 16 teams. Top goal scorers like Hassan Shehata and Mahmoud El Khatib were very popular.

In the 1980s, some foreign players played in the league. Rules about foreign players changed in 1985. Zamalek and Al Ahly also did very well in the CAF Champions League. Al Ahly won in 1982. Zamalek won in 1984 and 1986. They also won the Afro-Asian Club Championship. Al Ahly won the African Cup Winners' Cup three times in a row. The Egyptian Premier League became very successful in these African tournaments.

The Al Ahly squad that won the 1981–82 Egyptian Premier League season.

The league didn't play in 1990. This was because Egypt's national team was getting ready for the 1990 World Cup. After this break, Ismaily won the 1990–91 season. Then Zamalek won twice in a row. After that, Al Ahly won every season until the year 2000. Zamalek and Ismaily became strong again between 2000 and 2004. Zamalek won in 2000-01, 2002-03, and 2003-04. Ismaily's win in 2001–02 is the last time a team other than Zamalek or Al Ahly has won the title.

Challenges and Changes (2002–2013)

Between 2004 and 2011, Al Ahly won every Egyptian Premier League title. Sometimes Zamalek or Ismaily challenged them. Al Ahly also continued to be the most successful team in the CAF Champions League.

The Al Ahly squad that won the 2010-11 Egyptian Premier League season.

The league was one of the strongest in Africa. It had many fans. In 2011, another revolution began in Egypt. This was part of the Arab Spring. Football fans, especially from Al Ahly, played a big part in this revolution.

The Port Said Stadium Disaster

On February 1, 2012, a terrible event happened. A riot started at Port Said Stadium. This was during a match between Al Masry and Al Ahly. Fans of Al Masry brought weapons. They ran onto the field after their team won. These fans then attacked Al Ahly fans. The gates behind the Al Ahly fans were locked, so they couldn't escape. 74 people died. Most were Al Ahly fans. They died from stab wounds, head injuries, and not being able to breathe. Over 500 people were hurt.

After the riot, many people questioned the police. They seemed to do little to protect the Al Ahly fans. Many believed the police might have caused the riot. Perhaps it was revenge for the Al Ahly fans' role in the revolution. The violence and the trials that followed deeply affected Egypt for weeks. The football season was cancelled. Haras El Hodoud SC was at the top of the table. Fans were not allowed into matches for years after this. But the Egyptian Premier League tried to restart the next season.

Playing Without Fans (2013–2021)

The 2012–13 season was also cancelled. This was due to another political event in Egypt. After this, the Egyptian Premier League slowly became strong again. Al Ahly has won most seasons since 2013. They also won two CAF Champions League titles. Zamalek has won two league titles too.

An attempt to bring fans back was stopped. A riot at a match between Zamalek and ENPPI led to 19 deaths. Fans were finally going to be allowed back into stadiums. But then the COVID-19 pandemic started. This delayed the return of fans until 2021.

Al Ahly and Zamalek are usually the strongest teams in the league. They have much bigger budgets than other clubs. Ismaily used to be the third strongest team. But in 2018, Al Assiouty Sport was bought by a Saudi billionaire. The team was renamed Pyramids FC. They have become a strong competitor. They are now seen as the third-strongest team.

Fans Return (Since 2021)

At the start of the 2021–22 season, 2000 fans were allowed at each match. This was 1000 fans for each team. Things got better, and in May 2022, the number increased to 5000 fans. The league improved with new teams like Future FC and Pharco FC. They made the league more exciting.

Zamalek won the 2021–22 league title again. Al Ahly had a difficult season. They finished in 3rd place. This was behind Pyramids FC and Zamalek. It was the first time Al Ahly finished outside the top two since 1992. Ismaily was almost sent down to a lower division. But they improved and finished in 9th place. Future FC finished 5th. They qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup. At the start of the 2022–23 season, 3000 fans per team were allowed to attend matches.

How the League Works

Competition Rules

There are 18 clubs in the Egyptian Premier League. The season runs from August to May. Each club plays every other club twice. Once at their home stadium and once at the opponent's stadium. This means each team plays a total of 34 games. Teams get three points for a win and one point for a draw. They get no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by their total points. If points are equal, other rules decide the ranking. These include how teams played against each other. Also, goal difference and goals scored are used.

At the end of the season, the team with the most points wins the championship. If teams have the same points, the tie-breaking rules apply. The three teams with the fewest points are sent down to the Egyptian Second League. The Egyptian Second League has three groups. The winner of each group gets promoted to the Premier League. This system has been used since 2015. Before that, the number of teams and relegation spots changed.

Sponsorship Deals

The Egyptian Premier League has had sponsors since 2005. The sponsor's name is often added to the league's name. Here's a list of past sponsors:

• 2005–07: Vodafone Egyptian Premier League
• 2007–11: Etisalat Egyptian Premier League
• 2011–14: Vodafone Egyptian Premier League
• 2014–present: Egyptian Premier League (Sponsored by Presentation Sports)

Teams in the League

A total of 70 clubs have played in the Egyptian Premier League. This is from its start in 1948–49 until the 2020–21 season. Only two clubs have been in the league every season. These are Al Ahly and Zamalek. Al-Ittihad and Al Masry have only missed two seasons.

Current Clubs (2023–24)

The following 18 clubs are playing in the Egyptian Premier League for the 2023–24 season:

Team Locations

Stadiums Used

League Champions Over Time

This table shows who won the league each season:

Team Achievements

Titles Won by Club

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Third places	Winning Seasons
Al Ahly	43	12	4	1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23
Zamalek	14	34	10	1959–60, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1977–78, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2014–15, 2020–21, 2021–22
Ismaily	3	7	17	1966–67, 1990–91, 2001–02
Tersana	1	5	7	1962–63
Ghazl El Mahalla	1	1	5	1972–73
El Olympi	1	–	2	1965–66
Al Mokawloon	1	–	1	1982–83
Pyramids	–	2	3
ENPPI	–	1	2
Smouha	–	1	1
Misr Lel Makasa	–	1	–
Al Masry	–	–	6
El Ittihad El Sakndary	–	–	2
El Qannah	–	–	1
El Mansoura	–	–	1
Haras El Hodoud	–	–	1
Petrojet	–	–	1

Titles won by club (%)      Al Ahly – 43 (67%)     Zamalek – 14 (22%)     Ismaily – 3 (5%)     Tersana – 1 (1.5%)     Ghazl El Mahalla – 1 (1.5%)     El Olympi – 1 (1.5%)     Al Mokawloon – 1 (1.5%)

Titles Won by City

Winning Both League and Cup

Two teams have won both the Egyptian Premier League and the Egypt Cup in the same season. This is called winning the "double."

Player Records

Top Goal Scorers Each Season

Ad-Diba, first season's top scorer.

Ali Khalil, a top scorer twice.

Ali Mohsen, the first non-Egyptian top scorer.

Ahmed El-Kass, top scorer three times in a row.

Hassan Shehata, a top scorer twice.

Mahmoud El Khatib, a top scorer twice.

John Utaka, the first non-Arab top scorer.

Season	Player	Club	Goals
1948–49	Ad-Diba	El Ittihad El Sakandary	15
	El-Sayed El-Dhizui	Al Masry
1949–50	El-Sayed El-Dhizui	Al Masry	13
1950–51	El-Sayed El-Dhizui	Al Masry	13
1952–53	Ahmed Mekkawi	Al Ahly	12
1953–54	Abdel Nabi	Tersana	18
1955–56	Sayed Saleh	Al Ahly	12
1956–57	Alaa El-Hamouly	Zamalek	16
1957–58	Hamdi Abdel Fattah	Tersana	19
1958–59	El-Sayed El-Dhizui	Al Ahly	16
1959–60	Hamdi Abdel Fattah	Tersana	15
1960–61	Ali Mohsen	Zamalek	16
1961–62	Moustafa Reyadh	Tersana	18
1962–63	Hassan El-Shazly	Tersana	32
1963–64	Moustafa Reyadh	Tersana	27
1964–65	Hassan El-Shazly	Tersana	23
1965–66	Hassan El-Shazly	Tersana	16
1966–67	Ali Abo Greisha	Ismaily	15
1972–73	Omasha Omasha	Ghazl El Mahalla	11
1974–75	Hassan El-Shazly	Tersana	34
1975–76	Ossama Khalil	Ismaily	17
1976–77	Ali Khalil	Zamalek	17
	Hassan Shehata	Zamalek
1977–78	Mahmoud El Khatib	Al Ahly	11
1978–79	Ali Khalil	Zamalek	12
1979–80	Hassan Shehata	Zamalek	14
1980–81	Mahmoud El Khatib	Al Ahly	11
1981–82	Gamal Gouda	Al Masry	8
1982–83	Mahmoud El-Mashaqui	Ghazl El Mahalla	9
1983–84	Ayman Shawky	Koroum	8
1984–85	Mohamed Hazem	Ismaily	11
1985–86	Mohamed Hazem	Ismaily	11
1986–87	Emad Soliman	Ismaily	11
1987–88	Gamal Abdel-Hameed	Zamalek	11
1988–89	Mahmoud El-Mashaqui	Ghazl El Mahalla	11
1990–91	Mohamed Ramadan	Al Ahly	14
1991–92	Ahmed El-Kass	El Olympi	14
1992–93	Ahmed El-Kass	El Olympi	16
1993–94	Ahmed El-Kass	El Olympi	15
	Bashir Abdel Samad	Ismaily
1994–95	Abdullah El-Sawy	El Qannah	10
	Ahmed Sary	El Ittihad El Sakandary
1995–96	Mohamed Salah Abo Greisha	Ismaily	14
1996–97	Ayman Moheb	El Mansoura	17
1997–98	Abdul-Hamid Bassiouny	Zamalek	15
1998–99	Hossam Hassan	Al Ahly	15
1999–00	John Utaka	Ismaily	17
2000–01	Tarek El-Said	Zamalek	13
2001–02	Hossam Hassan	Zamalek	18
2002–03	Ahmad Belal	Al Ahly	19
2003–04	Abdel Halim Ali	Zamalek	20
2004–05	Emad Moteab	Al Ahly	15
2005–06	Mohamed Aboutrika	Al Ahly	18
2006–07	Flávio Amado	Al Ahly	17
2007–08	Alaa Ibrahim	Petrojet	15
2008–09	Ernest Papa Arko	Tala'ea El Gaish	12
	Flávio Amado	Al Ahly
2009–10	Minusu Buba	Ittihad El Shorta	14
2010–11	Ahmed Abd El-Zaher	ENPPI	13
	Shikabala	Zamalek
2013–14	John Antwi	Ismaily	11
2014–15	Hossam Salama	El-Dakhleya	20
2015–16	Hossam Salama	Smouha	17
2016–17	Ahmed El Sheikh	Misr Lel Makasa	17
2017–18	Walid Azaro	Al Ahly	18
2018–19	Ahmed Ali	Al Mokawloon	18
2019–20	Abdallah El Said	Pyramids	17
2020–21	Mohamed Sherif	Al Ahly	21
2021–22	Ahmed Sayed (Zizo)	Zamalek	19
2022–23	Mabululu	El Ittihad El Sakandary	16

All-Time Top Goal Scorers

Hassan El-Shazly, the all-time top scorer.

Gamal Abdel-Hamid, ninth all-time top scorer.

El-Sayed El-Dhizui, fifth all-time top scorer.

Abdallah El Said, the fourth all-time top scorer.

Last updated on February 15, 2023.

All-Time Top Appearances

These players have played the most matches in the league:

See also

• Football in Egypt