Al Ahly and Zamalek set for early Egyptian Premier League showdown

Egyptian football giants Al Ahly and Zamalek will meet in an early-season blockbuster after the fixtures for the 2026-27 Egyptian Premier League campaign were announced.

The Cairo rivals were drawn against each other in the sixth round of the competition, with the highly anticipated encounter scheduled for 11 October.

The fixture list, produced using artificial intelligence, also revealed challenging starts for defending champions Zamalek, Al Ahly and title contenders Pyramids as they prepare for another competitive domestic campaign.

Zamalek face early tests

Zamalek will begin their title defence against Al-Ittihad Alexandria on 21 August before facing Al-Ahly Bank in the second round on 26 August.

They will then take on Suez National Petrojet on 31 August, followed by matches against Abu Qir Fertilisers and Ghazl El Mahalla in the fourth and fifth rounds respectively.

Their first major test of the season will come against Al Ahly in October, as the two Egyptian giants renew one of Africa’s fiercest football rivalries.

Al Ahly prepare for demanding schedule

Al Ahly will open their campaign against El Sharqia Enppi on 23 August before meeting Zed FC in the second round.

The Red Devils will then face Smouha, Al Mokawloon Al Arab and Abu Qir Fertilisers before the much-awaited clash with Zamalek.

Al Ahly will also face another major title contender when they meet Pyramids in the ninth round on 23 November.

Pyramids target strong campaign

Pyramids, who have emerged as one of Egyptian football’s strongest clubs in recent years, will start their season against Ghazl El Mahalla.

They will then play Abu Qir Fertilisers and Al Masry before meeting El Gouna and Ceramica Cleopatra in the early rounds.

The club will be hoping to challenge the traditional dominance of Al Ahly and Zamalek as they continue their push for domestic success.

New league format and bigger rewards

The Egyptian Premier League will once again begin with a single league phase involving all participating clubs before moving into a second stage.

The top six teams will compete for the championship, while the remaining 14 sides will battle to avoid relegation, with four clubs dropping to the professional league.

The competition is expected to pause from 20 September due to the international break.

Egyptian Football Association president Ahmed Diab also announced a major increase in prize money, with the league champions set to receive 50 million Egyptian pounds from next season, compared with the previous prize of five million pounds.

Diab added that the association had increased television broadcasting rights revenue by 300% as Egyptian football continues efforts to strengthen its domestic competition.