Abdallah El Refaey: Kalba FC Complete Signing of Egyptian Centre-Back from Khor Fakkan
Kalba FC have completed the signing of Egyptian centre-back Abdallah El Refaey from UAE Pro League rivals Khor Fakkan in a confirmed deal that keeps the defender at the club from 01/07/2026 until 30/06/2027. The move, registered within the UAE Pro League system, sees the 30-year-old remain in the United Arab Emirates while changing colours inside the same division.
The transfer is officially listed with an undisclosed fee, marked simply as “?”, despite El Refaey carrying a market value of €350k at the time of the switch. While financial terms have not been made public, the agreement finalises his status as a Kalba FC player and removes any uncertainty over his immediate future.
El Refaey arrives as a recognised specialist at centre-back, where he is registered as a defender primarily operating in the heart of the back line and favouring his right foot. Standing at 1.83m, his profile fits the mould of a modern central defender capable of competing physically in the box while also offering mobility across the defensive third.
Born on 19 November 1995 and capped at club level in the UAE rather than for any national team, El Refaey continues a career path that has taken him away from his home country, Egypt, and into the Gulf’s top-flight competition. His move from Khor Fakkan to Kalba FC ensures he remains a part of the UAE Pro League rather than returning to Egyptian domestic football, underlining his established status as an expatriate professional in the region.
Both his previous club, Khor Fakkan, and his new employers, Kalba FC, compete in the UAE Pro League, placing El Refaey in a familiar competitive environment. The transfer data lists no previous clubs in this record, but his established presence in the league points to prior adaptation to the tempo, physicality and tactical demands of top-tier Emirati football.
At 30, El Refaey is in what is typically regarded as a defender’s prime years, combining experience with remaining physical peak. His market valuation of €350k reflects a profile of a reliable, seasoned centre-back rather than a developmental prospect, suggesting Kalba FC view him as an immediate contributor to their defensive structure.
Contract details show no prior expiry date from Khor Fakkan included in the data, leaving open the possibility that he may have been approaching the end of a previous agreement or moving under terms that have not been publicly disclosed. With his new deal now in place through to 30/06/2027, any speculation about him becoming a free agent in the short term is resolved.
While the statistical record provided does not include precise recent match details, appearances or individual performance data, the decision by Kalba FC to secure his services on a full contract indicates the club’s assessment of his contributions in the UAE Pro League to date. His experience in the same competition, his age profile, and his continued presence abroad from Egypt together paint the picture of a defender trusted to stabilise a back line immediately.
From an Egyptian perspective, El Refaey’s confirmed continuation in the UAE underscores the growing trend of players from Egypt building sustained careers in Gulf leagues rather than returning to the domestic scene. For local supporters of Kalba FC, the signing adds an established top-flight centre-back to their squad, and for neutral observers, it is another example of intra-league movement shaping the competitive balance within the UAE Pro League.
Looking ahead, the duration of his contract offers El Refaey a stable platform to consolidate his reputation as a reliable central defender in the Gulf, with his performances for Kalba FC over the coming seasons likely to define the next phase of his career and determine whether his value in the market continues to rise.
