On June 6, the Egyptian Arabi 21 news site carried the following report from Cairo: “On Tuesday night, in a massive celebration, the Egyptian Al-Ahly Club announced – following the approval of the armed forces – the establishment of a stadium that can accommodate 44,000 fans, within a world-class sports city built on an area of 43 acres over four years, at a cost of EGP12 billion. The city will include a museum, school, university, hotel, and hospital, and will be situated in the Sheikh Zayed area in the October 6 City (west of Cairo). So far, the news is great for all the fans of the Egyptian club. But when talking about the funding, estimated at EGP12 billion, a consortium of 15 Emirati, American, and Egyptian companies emerges, parallel to the names of six former Egyptian ministers and an Emirati media figure.

“What is also noticeable is the involvement of dubious figures linked to corruption files, profiteering, and illegal acts. They include former Minister of Investment Dalia Khorshid, the wife of the former Egyptian Central Bank governor, who has ties with the Emirates and whose name was linked to financial and administrative corruption cases… The consortium also included Abnaa Sinai company, which affiliated with Ibrahim al-Organi, a businessman close to Abdul Fattah es-Sisi’s regime, whose role grew in the country ever since he became the head of the Union of Arab Tribes and Families at the beginning of May, pushing some to describe him as a “state within the state”… For their part, sports observers and critics on social media expressed fears that this might be a step toward selling the Al-Ahly Club.

“At this level, sports critic Ahmad Saad wrote on Facebook: “The process of selling the Al-Ahly Club to the Emirates has been launched”…, which sports critic Walid al-Fil tried to explain and elaborate when he addressed the head of the club by saying: “We fear that your passion for the stadium while push you to take rash steps that might lead to regrets instead of accomplishments,” wondering what the financing companies will get from the club in return… Reading into the situation, former Egyptian Deputy Talaat Khalil said: “As an Egyptian politician and a big fan of the Al-Ahly Club, I believe this consortium is alarming. I am fearful for the history and future of the Al-Ahly Club”… He thus wondered: “What are the dimensions of this business in Egypt? Do they wish to control the hinges of Egyptian sports starting with Al-Ahly?”

“And he hinted at the fact that “the presence of names such as those of Dalia Khorshid and Al-Organi among others raises questions and concerns”… As for writer and Egyptian researcher Mohammad Fakhry, he said: “… The regime’s control over Al-Ahly Club and its administration was reflected in the sponsorships and the implementation of the club’s projects through the regime’s strongman and biggest economic front Ibrahim al-Organi…,” adding that the project “will give Al-Organi and the Emirati partners massive profits for more than two decades once the sports city is completed, including the stadium, at a time when the Al-Ahly Club will only get a limited portion of the profits 15 years from now, and will assume full control of the facilities in one-quarter of a century.””