Egyptian Premier League sets fines for players who skip TV interviews and awards

Players in the Egyptian Premier League will face financial penalties for refusing to take part in post-match television interviews or failing to collect the Man of the Match award during the 2026-27 season.

The competition committee has approved regulations for the new campaign, including a fine of 20,000 Egyptian pounds for any player who does not comply with the requirement to speak to the rights-holding broadcasters after a match.

A separate penalty of 50,000 Egyptian pounds will apply to players who fail to receive the Man of the Match award after the final whistle.

The Egyptian Premier League is scheduled to begin on 21 August, with the first phase due to finish on 20 February.

The second phase is set to start on 8 March, while the final round of matches is scheduled for 28 May. That date could change if the May calendar is altered because of the finals of continental competitions, according to Taha Ezzat, chairman of the competition committee.

The league will be played in two stages, with all 20 teams involved in the opening phase.

During the first stage, the clubs will meet once each in a single-round league format, producing a total of 19 rounds.

At the end of that phase, the top six teams will move into the championship group, where they will compete for the title. The remaining 14 sides, placed from seventh to 20th, will enter the relegation group and compete to avoid dropping into the Professional League.

Each team will carry its full points total from the first phase into the second phase. However, the standings in the final phase will be determined separately within each group, with the matches again played on a single-round basis.

If two or more clubs finish level on points, their positions will be decided according to Article 15 of the competition regulations.

The four teams finishing at the bottom of the relegation group will be relegated to the Professional League, the division immediately below the Egyptian Premier League.

The new regulations therefore cover both sporting matters and players’ obligations to broadcasters and match presentation duties. The fines for interview non-compliance and failure to accept the individual award will apply during the league season alongside the competition’s two-stage format.

The schedule and structure were set out by the competition committee ahead of the campaign, which is due to open on 21 August 2026 and conclude on 28 May, subject to any adjustment to the May programme.