Egypt's FA Signals a New Chapter in the Zizo Saga as Hearing is Delayed

The Egyptian Football Association's legal department, led by Mohamed Al-Mashata, issued a new ruling in the Zamalek versus Zizo case as the transfer to Al Ahly continues to spark debate across Egyptian football.

Zizo's contract with Zamalek was not renewed following salary disputes, and he trained intermittently before returning, but did not feature after refusing to renew.

Al Ahly announced the signing soon after his contract expired with Zamalek, following the season's end with the Egypt Cup final in which the White team defeated Pyramids.

The move sparked widespread reactions across Egyptian football circles.

Background

Ahmed Sayed Zizo joined Zamalek in January 2019 from Moreirense, Portugal, quickly becoming a key asset thanks to his skill, pace, and dead-ball precision, and he rose to be among the club's top scorers.

In recent seasons he played a pivotal role in Zamalek's two league titles, the Egypt Cup, and the Egyptian Super Cup, and he topped the league's scoring chart in 2021-2022.

African competitions saw him shine as a standout, with goals and assists in the CAF Champions League, and he helped lead the team to win the CAF Confederation Cup twice in 2019 and 2024.

He also lifted the CAF Super Cup before his high-profile move to Al Ahly. Since joining Al Ahly in June, he has played nine matches, scoring two goals and providing four assists.

At the Club World Cup in the United States, he was involved in a penalty incident in the opener against Inter Miami, which was missed by Trezeguet. He also assisted a Porto group-stage goal and has three league assists to date for Al Ahly. He featured for Egypt in recent World Cup qualifiers against Djibouti and Guinea-Bissau, and he returned from injury to play against Ismaily before the league break for international fixtures.

On the injury front, Zizo recovered from a knock that sidelined him from the September 29 clash with his former club, then returned against Al Kahraba and ahead of the international break.

Super Cup Rewards

Separately, the federation, in coordination with the sponsor, set the prize money for the Egyptian Super Cup in the UAE from 6 to 9 November. Zamalek faces Pyramids, while Al Ahly meets Ceramica Cleopatra in the semi-finals, with the final on November 9. The winner earns 300,000 USD, the runner-up 200,000 USD, and 50,000 USD for the third and fourth places.

The legal proceedings saw the federation approve delaying the hearing by a full month to allow Zamalek to prepare the necessary documents responding to Zizo's testimonies. A Zamalek representative attended to request the postponement to gather evidence supporting their claims.

Mutual complaints have swirled around the case, including a formal challenge by Zamalek against the player's alleged failure to meet contractual obligations and advertising clauses, and questions about signing during an allowed period per FIFA rules. Zizo has leveled his own claims against Zamalek for unpaid dues up to 80 million EGP, citing evidence of non-payment. The two sides requested more time to assemble documents to support their positions, and the club asked for measures including potential penalties for non-compliance by the player.

What Zizo Brought to Zamalek and Al Ahly

Zizo joined Zamalek from Moreirense in January 2019 and quickly established himself as a key figure, thanks to his skill, speed, and precise set-pieces, becoming a staple in the team’s lineup and one of its top scorers in club history.

Over the years, he helped Zamalek clinch league titles, cups, and a Super Cup, and he led the league in scoring in the 2021-2022 season. He shone in Africa as well, starring in the CAF Champions League and contributing to CAF Confederation Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2024. His move to Al Ahly in June marked a new chapter, where he has already contributed goals, assists, and big-match experience.

With nine appearances for Al Ahly, he has scored twice and provided four assists, and he featured in the Club World Cup in the United States, where a penalty incident involving Inter Miami and a missed spot-kick by Trezeguet were part of the tournament’s drama. He also helped Al Ahly in the group stage against Porto and contributed to the national team’s World Cup qualification campaign against Djibouti and Guinea-Bissau, before an injury sidelined him briefly and then he returned to league action against Ismaily ahead of the international break.

The Super Cup has added another layer of intrigue to the saga, as the Egyptian FA and sponsor lay out substantial rewards for the UAE-hosted event, with the two Cairo giants and a rival-strong under-card awaiting the outcome.

Punchline 1: If paperwork were goals, we’d be world champions by now. Punchline 2: The only thing slower than this hearing is my coffee cooling in the press room.