The Egyptian Football Association has moved quickly to shut down speculation surrounding the possible cancellation of the Premier League this season, following widespread rumors linking the fate of the domestic competition to preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
The Egyptian league has already completed 17 rounds of the current campaign, with the first phase set to conclude after 20 matches.
The competition then shifts into its second stage, divided into two groups, where the top seven teams battle for the league title, while clubs ranked from eighth to twenty-first fight to avoid relegation.
In recent days, some media outlets claimed that the Football Association was considering cancelling the league in response to pressure from clubs threatened with relegation, while also allowing additional preparation time for the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup finals.
The upcoming World Cup will be held in a new expanded format featuring 48 teams for the first time in the tournament’s history and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Egypt were drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, Iran and New Zealand.
Addressing the issue, journalist Ahmed Shobeir revealed during his radio programme that an official source within the Egyptian Football Association had firmly denied the reports. The source stressed that the idea of cancelling the league championship was never discussed and described the circulating claims as completely false.
The same source clarified that no changes had been considered regarding the competition’s format or structure, confirming that the current system will remain in place this season. Under the existing regulations, four clubs will be relegated to the second division, while three teams will earn promotion, with no exceptions.
Mustafa Abu Zahra, a member of the Egyptian Football Association’s board of directors, also categorically rejected the rumours. He emphasised that the matter had not even been raised, insisting that cancelling the league was entirely unacceptable.
In televised remarks, Abu Zahra said, “Talk of cancelling the Egyptian league is just a joke; it’s untrue and wasn’t even raised for discussion.”
He added, “Cancelling the league is out of the question or under consideration in a country the size of Egypt,” pointing out that sponsorship agreements and contractual obligations with clubs and players make any such idea illogical.
Continuing his remarks, Abu Zahra stated, “Has the coronavirus pandemic returned again that we are considering cancelling the league?”, before concluding by underlining the unity between the Football Association and the League of Clubs.
“We are working for the country, not for personal interests,” he said.
