46,200 Fans Set to Flood Cairo as Zamalek Host ZESCO United in CAF Confederation Cup Opener
19 November 2025
Security clearance and match details
Zamalek administration has received official clearance from security authorities regarding the number of fans allowed to attend the team's opening group stage match in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Security authorities approved attendance for 46,200 fans to back the Whites in their eagerly awaited fixture against ZESCO United of Zambia.
Zamalek are set to host Zesco on Sunday evening at Cairo International Stadium, in the opening round of Group D in the Confederation Cup.
This figure is welcome news for the Whites fans, who aim to fill the Cairo Stadium stands and back the players at the start of their African campaign for the title.
Coaching changes and farewell
Farewell to Tomljanovic. Separately, the Zamalek board, chaired by Hussein Labib, decided to thank Mario Tomljanovic, the Croatian fitness planner, and to dissolve his duties with the club.
The decision came after consultation with Ahmed Abdel-Roof, the team’s coach, and John Edward, the sporting director.
In exclusive statements to Koora, an inside club source confirmed that several changes would be made to the coaching staff under manager Ahmed Abdel-Roof.
The source added that new members could be brought into the coaching staff in the coming period, noting that these changes are part of restructuring the technical team before the group-stage fixtures of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Tomljanovic’s departure marks the second change to the coaching staff recently, following the exit of performance analyst Mohamed Alaa, underscoring the administration’s aim to inject fresh, specialized blood into the supporting staff for the next phase.
Kaid's readiness and day of the match
Adam Kaid has resumed training with the White team after a full recovery from a calf muscle injury that had sidelined him in the previous period. The medical staff at Zamalek were keen to confirm the player's full physical and technical readiness before giving the green light to join the group workout with his teammates.
The match will kick off at 9 pm local time on Sunday, 23 November, at Cairo International Stadium, and will be officiated by a Djibouti refereeing team led by Mohammed Dirani. Zamalek are in Group D with Al Masry, Kaizer Chiefs, and ZESCO United.
Group D also includes the Egyptian side Al Masry and South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs, alongside ZESCO United of Zambia.
Punchline 1: If football were a talent show, 46,200 fans in Cairo would give the judges a standing ovation before kickoff.
Punchline 2: The only thing louder than the vuvuzelas might be the optimism around this season—let’s see if the trophy finally learns to smile along with the stands.
