A peculiar twist unfolded at the close of the Egyptian Premier League season on Wednesday as both Al Ahly and Pyramids celebrated the championship — even though the league title has yet to be officially awarded.
The joint celebrations, unfolding amid ongoing legal ambiguity, have drawn comparisons to a similar episode involving youth teams in 2021.
The current situation mirrors the confusion that surrounded the U-99 league in 2021, when Al Ahly and Zamalek both laid claim to the title under different interpretations of the rules.
That season saw Zamalek’s U-19 side leading the standings with 15 points ahead of a decisive final fixture against Al Ahly, who trailed by three.
However, Al Ahly’s 2–1 victory in that encounter brought both teams level on points, igniting a dispute over which club should be crowned champion.
Zamalek argued their superior goal difference — 15 goals scored and 7 conceded — should secure them the title. Al Ahly, meanwhile, contended that their head-to-head win in the only match between the two should be the determining factor.
The Egyptian Football Association’s regulations at the time failed to clarify which criterion should prevail, fueling the controversy further.
The confusion led to a decision to hold a playoff to determine the winner — only for the federation to later cancel it, leaving that season’s title suspended.
This season’s ambiguity between Al Ahly and Pyramids has taken on a similarly farcical tone. Both clubs marked the conclusion of their campaigns with title celebrations, despite the unresolved nature of the league outcome, pending final legal adjudication.
The spectacle has drawn commentary across Egyptian football circles and raised familiar concerns about regulatory inconsistencies.
Once again, the absence of clear procedural guidance has overshadowed the conclusion of a domestic campaign, recalling a farcical precedent that still lingers in the sport’s collective memory.
