The official Twitter account of Ismaily Club marked the commencement of the Centennial Year 2024, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Dervishes’ fortress.
عام جديد في حب الإسماعيلي 🤩
2024 هو سنة المئوية 🫶
عام سعيد لكل جمهورنا العظيم 💛#شجع_الدراويش pic.twitter.com/WWf3g27swX
— Ismaily SC (@Ismailyofficial) January 1, 2024
On April 13, 2024, Ismaily Club, one of Egypt and Africa’s oldest clubs, celebrates its 100th anniversary.
The idea of establishing an Egyptian club in Ismailia emerged in 1921. However, it only materialized in 1924 when the club was built through self-initiative and fundraising efforts, initially known as Nahdah Club.
Later, it changed its name to Ismaily Sporting Club, named after Ismailia.
The club’s initial headquarters, constructed with mud bricks, consisted of a single room for changing and a sand football field.
In 1931, the wooden booth was removed, the ground was covered with grass, and a modest building with two rooms was erected.
However, it was deemed unfit for Ismailia.
Efforts were combined to establish a new headquarters befitting Ismailia, achieved in 1943.
The club acquired a plot of land spanning approximately 15,000 square meters, relocating to its current premises, the Youth Welfare Building near Firdous Parking Lot.
Ismaily was the first Egyptian club in Ismailia, a time when all existing clubs were affiliated with foreign communities in Ismailia and the Suez Canal region.
Ismaily became the first Egyptian team to win the African Cup in 1969. In 1970 and 1992, they reached the semi-finals.
In 2003, they faced defeat in the final, but they secured the Egyptian Premier League title three times and the Egyptian Cup twice.
Ismaily is renowned as “The Dervishes” and the “Brazil of Egypt” or even the “Brazil of Africa.”
The club has had a series of presidents, starting with Saleh Ali in 1926, followed by Saleh Pasha Eid, Suleiman Eid, Abdulhamid Azzat, Engineer Osman Ahmed Osman from 1963 to 1988, Engineer Ibrahim Osman from 2016, Dr. Salah Bahd El-Ghannam, Dr. Raafat Abdel Azim, Yahya Al-Koumi, Brigadier Abu Bakr Al-Hadidi, and finally Engineer Nasr Abu Al-Hassan.
In the 129th match between Ismaily and Al-Masry on January 1, 2024, at Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, the historic rivalry promises excitement and skill, known for its strength and captivating football.
Al-Masry, currently in the sixth position with 15 points after eight matches, secured a victory against Zamalek in the last competition.
Ismaily, positioned fifteenth in the Nile League, has accumulated seven points from nine matches.
Ismaily won twice, drew once, and lost six matches, scoring nine goals and conceding 13.
This historic encounter continues to be a spectacle for football enthusiasts, symbolizing a century of passion and dedication to the beautiful game.
