CAIRO: The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) is currently developing a new system for the return of spectators during Premier League matches.
“The federation, in coordination with ministers of youth and interior, is considering hiring a private security company to secure football matches at stadiums across Egypt,” the federation spokesperson Mahmoud al-Shami was quoted by Youm7 Wednesday.
The decision comes in response to the mounting pressure from the Ultras football fan groups including Ultras Ahlawy that announced on their Facebook page Wednesday that they plan to attend the Thursday match between Al Ahly’s and Tala’a el-Geish T, despite the EFA’s decision to hold football games behind closed doors.
The ban was imposed after the Air Defense stadium disaster in which over 20 fans were killed in a stampede after being teargassed by police while entering the stadium.
The Egyptian Premier League for the 2015 / 2016 season has kicked off Monday.
“Starting the new league without fans kills football in Egypt. Therefore, Ultras Ahlawy in Cairo will gather Thursday to attend Al Ahly’s first game in the league against Tala’a El-Geish,” the group stated on its Facebook page Wednesday.