Orange return forces delay to Egypt’s Second Division B Group Two

The start of Group Two of Egypt’s Second Division B has been postponed after Orange were temporarily reinstated in the competition, forcing the Egyptian Football Association’s Competitions Committee to order a new draw.

The Cairo-based group had been due to begin on Wednesday, alongside the other three groups in the division. However, its opening round will now take place on Sunday, 6 September, following the decision to bring Orange back into the competition.

The remaining three groups will start as originally planned and will continue without any changes to their schedule.

The Competitions Committee said the Group Two draw would have to be held again because of Orange’s return. The club’s reinstatement follows a decision announced by the Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday, when it confirmed that Orange could participate temporarily in the Second Division B.

That temporary arrangement will remain in place until the dispute involving the club is resolved and a final ruling is issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Egyptian Football Association’s board had previously decided to exclude Orange from its competitions for the 2026-27 sporting season. The federation said the club had failed to meet the legal licensing requirement needed to carry out sporting activities.

Orange, however, said it had received a ruling from the International Court of Arbitration for Sport confirming its right to take part in domestic competitions.

According to the club, the ruling also required the Egyptian Football Association to restore Orange to the Egyptian Third Division, known as Second Division B.

The federation’s decision to allow Orange to participate on a temporary basis has therefore led directly to the delay affecting Group Two. The competition will begin on 6 September rather than Wednesday, while the other groups will proceed under the original timetable.

The dispute has created uncertainty over Orange’s status in the Egyptian Football Association’s competitions for the new season. For now, the club has been allowed to return to Second Division B, but its longer-term position will depend on the final ruling in the case.

The Competitions Committee’s decision means Group Two will not begin until the competition authorities have completed the revised draw. No change has been announced to the schedules of the other three groups, which are set to start normally.