December 23 – For the first time since the Port Said massacre in February 2012, when 74 Al Ahly fans were killed at a league match, the gates to club stadiums will be opened again to supporters for the second part of the Egyptian Premier League.
Only a few national team and Champions league matches have been open to fans since 2012, while all league games have been played behind closed doors.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) made the announcement saying that the decision had the approval of the Ministry of Interior.
An EFA statement said that that “security forces will allow 10,000 fans to attend matches held at Cairo Stadium, the Air Defence Stadium, Al-Makwlon Al-Arab Stadium and Borg El-Arab Stadium, while 5,000 fans will be allowed in other stadiums.”
However, the ban will remain in place for matches involving any two of the six main clubs – Al Ahly, Zamalek, Al Ittihad, Ismaily, Al Masry and Damanhur.
The EFA said that policing the grounds, which have been a catalyst for political protest in Egypt, will use new strategies to ensure that fans are “disciplined” during the games.
Since the 2012 ban, the highest fan attendance at a game in Egypt was on December 6 when 25,000 supporters attended the Al-Ahly game in the African Confederation Cup against Ivory Coast’s Séwé Sport Club. Riot police and the Special Forces were present in anticipation of clashes with hardcore Al-Ahly fans, the Ultras Ahlawy (UA), though no major incidents were reported.
The Ultras were a powerful movement and played a key role in Egypt’s 25 January Revolution.
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