Al Ahly slams CAF over decision to postpone ‘ban hearing’ indefinitely

Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC have expressed their frustration over the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) handling of their appeal regarding the club’s fan ban ahead of their highly anticipated clash with Tunisian side Espérance de Tunis in the CAF Champions League.

The club confirmed that they had been repeatedly notified of changes to the appeal hearing schedule.

Originally set for 11 a.m. on Monday, the meeting was shifted to 1 p.m., only for Al Ahly to receive a later notice that the hearing had been postponed indefinitely.

Al Ahly described these developments as calculated attempts to pressure them into playing the return leg behind closed doors, following a 1-0 defeat in the first leg.

The club has emphasized that they intend to pursue their right to a timely appeal, arguing that CAF must ensure justice and fairness for both teams and their supporters.

In their statement, Al Ahly highlighted the importance of fans in African football and reiterated their determination to have supporters present for the match.

The club also referenced similar past incidents where procedural delays affected their participation, underlining their insistence that the ruling should reflect equity rather than administrative convenience.

The Egyptian side concluded by reaffirming their commitment to the appeal process, making clear that they will not compromise on the principle of having their supporters in attendance, marking the issue as a critical matter ahead of the decisive fixture in the CAF Champions League group stage.

After losing the first leg of the quarterfinal against Eperance, Al Ahly will host the Tunisian side in the return leg this weekend in Cairo.