- Address: Mamdouh Salem Street, Cairo
- Country: Egypt
- Capacity: 74,000
- Opened: 23 July 1960
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Al-Ahly (football), Zamalek (football)
Extra stadium info – Cairo International Stadium
The construction of the Cairo International Stadium, which hosted various matches for the African championship for national football teams, started in 1955. Werner March is known as the architect of the venue. The national football team of Egypt played numerous matches at the stadium. They are nicknamed The Pharaohs. Egypt won several African football championship titles. They were crowned African champions in 1957 for the first time in their history. The national football team of Egypt, the first African team in a FIFA World Cup, won the title after defeating Ethiopia 4-0 in Sudan. In 1934, they played their first-ever FIFA World Cup game against Hungary in the Italian city of Naples. 16 national football teams participated in the second edition of the FIFA World Cup.
Football club Al-Ahly
Al-Ahly, the first African sports club with 10 million followers on its main social media page, use the Cairo International Stadium for home games. The club was founded in 1907 and they were crowned Egyptian football champions in 1949 for the first time in their history. They won 13 of the 20 league games during that football season. Three games ended in a draw and two games ended in a defeat. In 2021, Al-Ahly became the first football club with 10 African championship titles. They won their 10th African title after beating the Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa in the Moroccan city of Casablanca.
Zamalek and the rivalry with Al-Ahly
Zamalek also use the Cairo International Stadium for home matches. The club became one of the first African sports clubs with a value of at least $10 million. They won their 10th top-flight league title in 2003. Al-Ahly had 29 titles at that moment. The rivalry between Al-Ahly and Zamalek is considered one of the fiercest in African football. Several matches between both clubs attracted crowds above 100,000.
Ahmed Hassan
Ahmed Hassan, a former midfielder, played for both Al-Ahly and Zamalek. With 184 appearances for the national football team of Egypt, he became the most-capped male football player in history. Ahmed Hassan won the African championship for national football teams several times. The former midfielder scored in the final of the African championship for football clubs in 2008, which he won with Al-Ahly. In 2013, he ended his professional football career with Zamalek. Ahmed Hassan played for professional football clubs in Africa, Asia and Europe.
