A source at Zamalek Club revealed the White Knight's stance following FIFA's publication of details regarding the ruling by the Dispute Resolution Chamber on the complaint filed by Moroccan player Abdel Hamid Maali, concerning his unilateral contract termination.
The ruling related to player Abdel Hamid Maali was previously issued on July 30, granting Zamalek the right to appeal within one month from the date the decision was received, which Zamalek subsequently did.
Zamalek management's position on the Abdel Hamid Maali crisis
In a notable development, a source at Zamalek Club told Yalla Kora that: "The reasoning published regarding the Abdel Hamid Maali case is a routine procedure by FIFA and relates to the facts of the case since the player terminated his contract with Zamalek."
The source added: "What is new in this file is that Zamalek submitted an appeal against FIFA's ruling, which granted the player the right to receive $611,000, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the legal deadline after July 30."
He continued: "Zamalek completed the appeal procedures and paid the required fees. The CAS is currently reviewing the appeal after notifying Abdel Hamid Maali."
He further stated: "An arbitrator will be appointed by the CAS. Zamalek will attend if a hearing session is requested and will provide any new documents required by the court."
The source concluded: "Zamalek's management handles the Abdel Hamid Maali file and all other files according to legal frameworks to preserve the club's rights."
Behind the scenes of Abdel Hamid Maali's contract termination
On November 18, 2025, the player sent an official notice to Zamalek, demanding the club pay outstanding dues amounting to $66,000 and granting it a 15-day grace period to fulfill its obligations.
After sending the notice, Zamalek paid the player only $8,000. The player considered this partial payment insufficient to address the club's breach, as the majority of the dues remained unpaid.
Therefore, he notified Zamalek on December 4, 2025, of his unilateral contract termination, citing Article 14 bis of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
Following the termination of his contract with Zamalek, Abdel Hamid Maali signed a new contract with Moroccan club Ittihad Tanger on December 24, 2025. The new contract began on January 1, 2026, and runs until June 30, 2027.
