Egyptian Premier League

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Egyptian Premier League
Egyptian Premier League.png
Organising bodyEgyptian Football Association (EFA)
Founded22 October 1948; 73 years ago (22 October 1948)
CountryEgypt
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toEgyptian Second Division
Domestic cup(s)Egypt Cup
Egyptian Super Cup
International cup(s)CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
Current championsZamalek (13th title)
(2020–21)
Most championshipsAl Ahly SC (42 titles)
Most appearancesEssam El Hadary (455)
Top goalscorerHassan El-Shazly (173)
TV partnersONTime Sports and Time Sports
(live matches and highlights)
Websiteefa.eg
Current: 2021–22 Egyptian Premier League

The Egyptian Premier League (Arabic: الدوري المصري الممتاز), also known as WE Egyptian Premier League (WE EPL) after the addition of title sponsor WE, is a professional association football league in Egypt and the top level of the Egyptian football league system. The league comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Egyptian Second Division. Seasons mostly run from August to May. Unlike most other leagues, all games are played all over the week.

70 clubs have competed in the Egyptian Premier League since its founding in 1948. Al Ahly have won the title 42 times, more than any other club. Only six other clubs have won the league before; those clubs are Ghazl El Mahalla, Ismaily, Al Mokawloon Al Arab, Olympic Club, Tersana and Zamalek.

The Egyptian Premier League is one of the top national leagues, ranked third in Africa according to CAF's 5-Year Ranking for the 2019–20 season, based on performances in African competitions over the past five seasons.

The Egyptian Premier League used to be one of the leagues with the highest average stadium attendance in Africa and the Middle East until the Port Said Stadium riot occurred on 1 February 2012 after a league match involving Al Masry and Al Ahly, where 74 people were killed and more than 500 were injured.[1] Since that date, all domestic football matches were played behind closed doors until 2017, when the local security authorities started to allow fans to attend selected matches with gradually increasing numbers starting from 100 attendance only.

Competition format and sponsorship[]

Competition[]

There are 18 clubs in the Egyptian Premier League. The season lasts from August to May. During the course of the season, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then the direct confrontation, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the direct confrontation, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. The three lowest placed teams are relegated into the Division II League, and the top three teams from the three groups into the Division II league, together, are promoted in their place.

Sponsorship[]

The Egyptian Premier League has been sponsored since 2005. The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they called the competition:

  • 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)

Qualification for African competitions[]

Association ranking for 2020–21 CAF competitions[]

Association ranking for 2020–21 CAF Champions League and 2020–21 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF tournament (Champions League and Confederation Cup) from 2016 to 2019–20.

Legend
  • CL: CAF Champions League
  • CC: CAF Confederation Cup
  •   Associations ranked 1–12 and eligible to enter two teams in each CAF tournament (Champions League and Confederation Cup)
Rank Association 2016
(× 1)		 2017
(× 2)		 2018
(× 3)		 2018–19
(× 4)		 2019–20
(× 5)		 Total
2020 2019 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC
1 2 1 +1  Morocco 4 4 6 3 5 7 5 7 8 8 190
2 3 1 +1  Egypt 7 0 7 0.5 5 3 4 5 11 6 167
3 1 -1 –2  Tunisia 0 3 7 5 9 0 8 6 6 0 140
4 5 1 +1  DR Congo 0 5 1 5 3 4 5 0 4 1 83
5 4 -1 –1  Algeria 0 4 4 2 5 2 5 1 3 1 81
6 6 0 ���  South Africa 6 0 3 4.5 2 0 6 0 3 0.5 68.5
7 7 0 —  Zambia 4 0 2 2 2 0 0 2.5 1 2 43
8 9 1 +1  Nigeria 2 0 0 0.5 0 3 2 1 0 3 39
9 10 1 +1  Guinea 0 0 0 1 3 0 3 0 0 3 38
10 11 1 +1  Angola 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0.5 4 0 36

Media coverage[]

All matches are televised on ONTime Sports.


Clubs[]

A total of 70 clubs have played in the Egyptian Premier League from its inception in 1948–49 up to and including the 2020–21 season. But only two clubs have been members of the Egyptian Premier League for every season since its inception. These are Al Ahly and Zamalek, meanwhile Al-Ittihad and Al Masry have been absent only for two seasons of the League since its inception.

Members for 2020–21[]

The following 18 clubs are competing in the Egyptian Premier League as of the 2020–21 season.

+Promoted teams (from the 2019–20 Second Division season to the Premier League)

Stadiums[]

Teams[]

Locations of the 2020–21 Egyptian Premier League teams

Current stadiums[]

Stadium City Seating Capacity
Borg El Arab Stadium Alexandria 86,000
Cairo International Stadium Cairo 74,100
Egyptian Army Stadium Suez 45,000
Osman Ahmed Osman Stadium Cairo 35,000
Al Salam Stadium Cairo 30,000
Fayoum Stadium Fayoum 20,000
Suez Stadium Suez 27,000
Cairo Military Academy Stadium Cairo 28,500
Petrosport Stadium Cairo 25,000
Harras El-Hedoud Stadium Alexandria 22,500
30th of June Stadium Cairo 30,000
El Mansoura Stadium Mansura 20,000
El Mahalla Stadium Mahalla 29,000
Ismailia Stadium Ismaïlia 18,525
Port Said Stadium Port Said 17,988
Asiut University Stadium Asyut 16,000
Tersana Stadium Giza 15,000
El-Shams Stadium Cairo 15,000
Alexandria Stadium Alexandria 13,660
Khaled Bichara Stadium El Gouna 13,000

List of seasons[]

The following table provides a summary of seasons:[2]

No. Season Champions
(number of titles) 		Runners-up Third place
1 1948–49 Al Ahly (1) Tersana Ismaily
2 1949–50 Al Ahly (2) Tersana Zamalek
3 1950–51 Al Ahly (3) Zamalek Al Masry
— 1951–52
Not played due to participation in the 1952 Summer Olympics.
4 1952–53 Al Ahly (4) Zamalek Al Masry
5 1953–54 Al Ahly (5) Zamalek Tersana
— 1954–55
Not finished due to refusal of Al Ahly to comply with
the federation's penalty of playing one match away from home.
6 1955–56 Al Ahly (6) Zamalek El Qannah
7 1956–57 Al Ahly (7) Zamalek Ismaily
8 1957–58 Al Ahly (8) Zamalek El Olympi
9 1958–59 Al Ahly (9) Zamalek Tersana
10 1959–60 Zamalek (1) Tersana Al Ahly
11 1960–61 Al Ahly (10) Zamalek Tersana
12 1961–62 Al Ahly (11) Zamalek Tersana
13 1962–63 Tersana (1) Zamalek Al Ahly
14 1963–64 Zamalek (2) Tersana Ismaily
15 1964–65 Zamalek (3) Ismaily Tersana
16 1965–66 El Olympi (1) Zamalek Ismaily
17 1966–67 Ismaily (1) Al Ahly Tersana
— 1967–71
Not played due to the Six-Day War.
— 1971–72
Not finished due to violence during Al Ahly vs Zamalek match.
18 1972–73 Ghazl El Mahalla (1) Zamalek Ismaily
— 1973–74
Not finished due to the 6th of October War.
19 1974–75 Al Ahly (12) Tersana Ismaily
20 1975–76 Al Ahly (13) Ghazl El Mahalla Zamalek
21 1976–77 Al Ahly (14) Zamalek El Ittihad El Sakndary
22 1977–78 Zamalek (4) Al Ahly El Olympi
23 1978–79 Al Ahly (15) Zamalek Ghazl El Mahalla
24 1979–80 Al Ahly (16) Zamalek Al Masry
25 1980–81 Al Ahly (17) Zamalek Al Masry
26 1981–82 Al Ahly (18) Zamalek El Ittihad El Sakndary
27 1982–83 Al Mokawloon (1) Zamalek Al Ahly
28 1983–84 Zamalek (5) Al Ahly Ismaily
29 1984–85 Al Ahly (19) Zamalek Ismaily
30 1985–86 Al Ahly (20) Zamalek Ismaily
31 1986–87 Al Ahly (21) Zamalek Tersana
32 1987–88 Zamalek (6) Al Ahly Ghazl El Mahalla
33 1988–89 Al Ahly (22) Zamalek Ghazl El Mahalla
— 1989–90
Not finished due to preparation of Egypt for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
34 1990–91 Ismaily (2) Al Ahly Zamalek
35 1991–92 Zamalek (7) Ismaily Ghazl El Mahalla
36 1992–93 Zamalek (8) Al Ahly Ghazl El Mahalla
37 1993–94 Al Ahly (23) Ismaily Zamalek
38 1994–95 Al Ahly (24) Zamalek Ismaily
39 1995–96 Al Ahly (25) Zamalek Ismaily
40 1996–97 Al Ahly (26) Zamalek El Mansoura
41 1997–98 Al Ahly (27) Zamalek Al Mokawloon
42 1998–99 Al Ahly (28) Zamalek Ismaily
43 1999–00 Al Ahly (29) Ismaily Zamalek
44 2000–01 Zamalek (9) Al Ahly Al Masry
45 2001–02 Ismaily (3) Al Ahly Zamalek
46 2002–03 Zamalek (10) Al Ahly Ismaily
47 2003–04 Zamalek (11) Al Ahly Ismaily
48 2004–05 Al Ahly (30) ENPPI Haras El Hodoud
49 2005–06 Al Ahly (31) Zamalek ENPPI
50 2006–07 Al Ahly (32) Zamalek Ismaily
51 2007–08 Al Ahly (33) Ismaily Zamalek
52 2008–09 Al Ahly (34) Ismaily Petrojet
53 2009–10 Al Ahly (35) Zamalek Ismaily
54 2010–11 Al Ahly (36) Zamalek Ismaily
— 2011–12
Not finished due to the Port Said Stadium riot.
— 2012–13
Not finished due to the 30th of June revolution
55 2013–14 Al Ahly (37) Smouha Zamalek
56 2014–15 Zamalek (12) Al Ahly ENPPI
57 2015–16 Al Ahly (38) Zamalek Smouha
58 2016–17 Al Ahly (39) Misr Lel Makasa Zamalek
59 2017–18 Al Ahly (40) Ismaily Al Masry
60 2018–19 Al Ahly (41) Zamalek Pyramids
61 2019–20 Al Ahly (42) Zamalek Pyramids
62 2020–21 Zamalek (13) Al Ahly Pyramids

Performance[]

Performance by club[]

Club Winners Runners-up Third places Winning Seasons
Al Ahly Star full.svg Star full.svg Star full.svg Star full.svg Star half.svg 42 12 3 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
Zamalek Star full.svg Star half.svg 13 34 9 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
Ismaily Star half.svg 3 7 17 1966–67, 1990–91, 2001–02
TersanaStar half.svg 1 5 7 1962–63
Ghazl El MahallaStar half.svg 1 1 5 1972–73
El OlympiStar half.svg 1 – 2 1965–66
Al MokawloonStar half.svg 1 – 1 1982–83
ENPPI – 1 2
Smouha – 1 1
Misr Lel Makasa – 1 –
Al Masry – – 6
Pyramids – – 3
El Ittihad El Sakndary – – 2
El Qannah – – 1
El Mansoura – – 1
Haras El Hodoud – – 1
Petrojet – – 1

Performance by city[]

City Winners Club(s)
Cairo
57
 Al Ahly (42), Zamalek (13), Tersana (1), Al Mokawloon (1)
Ismaïlia
3
 Ismaily (3)
El Mahalla El Kubra
1
 Ghazl El Mahalla (1)
Alexandria
1
 El Olympi (1)

Performance comparison since 2010[]

Performance comparison of top teams since 2010.

Teams 2009–10 2010–11 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
ASC 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2
ZSC 2 2 3 1 2 2 4 2 2 1
ISM 3 3 4 6 6 6 2 7 11 13
  League champions
  Champions League
  Confederation Cup
  Relegation

Doubles[]

Two teams have won the double of the Egyptian Premier League and the Egypt Cup.

Club Number Seasons
Al Ahly
15
 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2016–17, 2019–20
Zamalek
4
 1959–60, 1987–88, 2002-03, 2014–15

Statistics[]

All seasons top goalscorers[]

Season Player Club Goals
1948–49 Egypt Mohamed Diab El-Attar "Diba" El Ittihad El Sakandary 15
Egypt El-Sayed El-Dhizui Al Masry
1949–50 Egypt El-Sayed El-Dhizui Al Masry 13
1950–51 Egypt El-Sayed El-Dhizui Al Masry 13
1952–53 Egypt Al Ahly

12

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

All time top goalscorers[]

Last updated 13 February 2021.

No. Player Teams Goals
1 Hassan El-Shazly Tersana 176
2 Hossam Hassan Al Ahly / Zamalek / Al Masry / Tersana / El Ittihad El Sakandary 168
3 Moustafa Reyadh Tersana 123
4 El-Sayed El-Dhizui Al Masry / Al Ahly 112
5 Abdallah Said Ismaily / Al Ahly / Pyramids 111
6 Mahmoud El Khatib Al Ahly 109
7 Ahmed El-Kass El Olympi / Zamalek / El Ittihad El Sakandary 107
8 Mohamed Aboutrika Tersana / Al Ahly 106
9 Gamal Abdel-Hameed Al Ahly / Zamalek 101
10 Abdel Halim Ali Zamalek 81

All time top appearances[]

No. Player Matches
1 Essam El Hadary 455
2 Hossam Hassan 401
3 Mohamed Abdel Monsef 371
4 Ahmed Shedid Qenawi 361
5 Abdallah Said 346
6 Abdelwahed El-Sayed 345
7 Hady Khashaba 301
8 300
9 Mahmoud Fathallah 292
10 Hossam Ashour 290

References[]

  1. ^ "In pictures: Jubilation in Cairo, riots in Port Said". The Independent. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  2. ^ Tarek Said ,MD. "Zamalek Sporting Club – Egyptian Football Net نادي الزمالك الرياضي و كرة القدم المصرية". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 17 April 2017.

External links[]

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