Hani Abu Rida, President of the Egyptian Football Association, revealed the details of his proposal to increase the number of clubs participating in the African championships, confirming that the initiative was not directed solely at serving Egyptian clubs, but came within a broader vision that includes the high-ranking federations and the national teams that participated in the World Cup.
Hani Abu Rida's statements
Abu Rida said in statements via Al-Nahar channel: "The request was not specific to Egypt alone, but included all the countries that participated in the World Cup, in addition to the federations with the highest ranking, within the framework of keeping pace with the developments witnessed by international competitions".
He added: "The world is moving toward expanding the scope of competitions, as evidenced by the increase in the number of teams participating in the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams, with ideas to increase the number in the future, so it was natural to propose the idea of developing continental tournaments".
The head of the Football Association spoke about the criticisms he faces, confirming that his decisions target only the interest of the game, saying: "Some consider me an Ahly supporter, and others see me as a Zamalek supporter, but I work only for the interest of Egyptian football, and the request was studied in principle, but some federations expressed reservations and refused to make changes at the present time".
Abu Rida pointed to ongoing consultations with the African Football Confederation, explaining: "There is continuous coordination with CAF President Patrice Motsepe, and the proposal has been submitted to the Executive Office for study in preparation for a decision on its implementation next season, according to marketing and commercial aspects and the dates of the African calendar".
Abu Rida: Al Ahly did not intervene in the file of increasing the number of clubs in African tournaments
The head of the Football Association denied any intervention by Al Ahly Club in the file of increasing the participating clubs, confirming: "Mahmoud El Khatib never contacted me regarding increasing the number of participating clubs, and any official seeking development must think about the future of Egyptian football and not the interest of one specific club".
Regarding Zamalek Club, Abu Rida praised the steps taken by the club to settle its files with FIFA, saying: "Zamalek's management made great efforts to resolve 18 cases with FIFA before July 25, and succeeded in completing all procedures before the deadline, while other African clubs requested an extension for obtaining the continental license, but the African Confederation rejected that".
He stressed the neutrality of the Football Association in dealing with all clubs, adding: "The Association does not support or favor any club, and stands at an equal distance from everyone, and the interest of Egyptian football comes above any consideration, and Zamalek bore large financial amounts as a result of procedures for registering its players last season".
He concluded his statements by saying: "We have scheduled the outstanding dues for several clubs, not just Zamalek, within the framework of cooperation between the Football Association and Egyptian clubs, and out of concern for supporting the stability of the sports system".
