Egyptian D1: New system adopted after a standoff between Al-Ahly and Zamalek!

The Egyptian Football Federation (EFF) officially adopted the new Premier League format for the 2025-2026 season this Monday, during an expanded meeting held at the federation's headquarters, attended by the Club League and team representatives. A consensus was reached among all stakeholders.

New league format for 2025-2026 with 21 teams and 6 foreign players

The league will implement an unprecedented system with 21 teams, a direct result of the decision to cancel relegation for the current season. This move will bring the number of Premier League clubs to 21 for the upcoming season, with a gradual return to the usual format over the next three years.

The season kick-off has been brought forward to August 8 instead of the initially scheduled August 15, and will conclude at the end of May 2026. This calendar, carefully devised by the Club League, is aimed at ensuring the smooth running of domestic competitions.

This change allows players to take part in three to four matchdays with their clubs before the national team assembles in September to prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. As a result, the season will finish well ahead of the World Cup.

A new regulation has also been approved: each team will be allowed to field up to five foreign players at the same time, with the possibility of adding a sixth foreign player under the age of 23. This proposal, championed by Al-Ahly, initially met with some resistance from Zamalek, but a satisfactory compromise was eventually reached.

However, the Federation's technical committee, led by Hassan Shehata, expressed reservations, stressing the importance of safeguarding the interests of the national teams in light of the increasing number of foreign players.

See also: "I'm leaving, but the love will remain": Ali Maaloul delivers an emotional message to Al Ahly SC supporters!

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.