Following a third-place finish in the previous season, the team narrowly missed out on a coveted spot in the Champions League.

The Whites have made significant additions to their squad in preparation for the upcoming season.

With the acquisitions of forward Omar Faraj from AIK, left winger Mohamed Hamdi from Enppi, and defender Djeferson Costa from Portugal's Castelo Branco, Zamalek aim to bolster their lineup.

Moreover, they have secured Senegalese forward Sidy Ndiaye, Polish winger Konrad Michalak, and Moroccan defender Mahmoud Bentayg on free transfers.

With the addition of the newly signed players, Zamalek clinched the African Super Cup title by defeating rivals Ahly in a penalty shootout.

Last week, however, they could not secure the Egyptian Super Cup against the same opponents.

Conversely, the NBE club, which ended last season in 13th place in the Egyptian Premier League with 36 points, are hopeful for a smoother journey under the league's revamped structure.

The 2024/2025 Egyptian Premier League season kicked off on Wednesday with a newly introduced format by the Egyptian Pro League (EPL), to address past challenges and ensure a timely conclusion.

The current season has witnessed a two-month delay from its original schedule, as the preceding season concluded at the end of August.

To wrap up by 6 June 2025, the EPL has condensed the season by adopting a single-round format involving all 18 clubs.

The top nine teams will vie for the title, while the remaining clubs will battle to avoid relegation.

The number of relegation spots has been reduced from three to two, shrinking the season from 34 to 25 weeks.

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