FOOTBALL stadiums in Egypt will now be able to take in 20,000 fans, up from 10,000, reports Alaa Abdel-Ghani.
The announcement was made Sunday by the Egyptian Professional Clubs Association (EPFCA) after receiving the green light from security authorities. The increase in spectators will be in Egyptian Premier League matches and the League Cup final.
The extra attendance will take effect starting from the 13th league match week.
This season’s League Cup final is between Ceramica Cleopatra and Talaea Al-Gaish, but the date is yet to be announced.
The association said attendance would be based on the official capacity of each stadium.
Football matches in the country were suspended in the wake of the 1 February 2012 riot following an Egyptian Premier League match that killed 72 people in one of the world’s worst incidences of football violence.
A stampede after police used tear gas to clear fans trying to force their way into a stadium for a domestic league match also killed 28 spectators on 8 February 2015.
The coronavirus pandemic forced all matches in Egypt to be held behind closed doors throughout the 2021 season.
During the 2022 season, the number of attendees increased from 2,000 to 6,000.
At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, attendance was raised to 10,000.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 February, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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