Saad Samir of Egypt's Ahly (R) fights for the ball with Ahmed Gaafar of Egypt's Zamalek during their CAF Champions League derby soccer match September 16, 2012 (Photo: Reuters)
The Egyptian Football Association has received confirmation from the sports ministry that the new Premier League season will start on 26 December behind closed doors, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported on Thursday.
Sports Minister Taher Abou-Zeid met with Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim to discuss the issue.
The 2013-14 season of the Egyptian Premier league will have 22 teams divided into two groups. Five teams will be relegated at the end of the season and three promoted, leaving 20 teams in the subsequent season. The following season will see five teams relegated and three promoted, leaving 18 teams in the top league in the third season. The winner and runner-up in each group will qualify for the semifinal.
The start of the season has already been delayed twice.
Two successive seasons have been abandoned midway due to security concerns.
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