Al Ahly's Blueprint for Domination: Fixing Football and Dreaming Bigger

A New Era for Al Ahly: Growth, Governance, and the Grand Dream

In a keynote addressing the club s path forward, Mahmoud El Khatib, chairman of Al Ahly and a candidate in the upcoming election, affirmed that Al Ahly will remain the enduring institution that has long benefited everyone. He said the club s achievements in recent years came from teamwork and a shared sense of belonging among members and fans.

Speaking at a press conference, El Khatib stressed that Al Ahly is owned by its members and supporters, and that everyone bears responsibility for preserving the club s status and leadership.

He highlighted the club s headquarters on Gezira Island and its three fully functional branches, with a clear plan to finish upgrading and expanding all branches, noting his steady presence at the club despite health challenges.

El Khatib recalled that Al Ahly s founding in 1907 was the product of intergenerational collaboration, with successive boards competing to serve the entity, and stated that the strategic vision laid out eight years ago acts as a charter to safeguard the club s history and principles while developing its institutions.

Unprecedented growth

The club s icon asserted a leap in facilities and finances, noting the opening of the Tagamoa branch despite hurdles, the payment of more than 300 million EGP in dues to date, and the current value of memberships surpassing 1.5 billion EGP, underscoring the club s strength and the trust of its members.

He spoke about financial and investment development, pointing out that the club s budget has grown more than tenfold since 2017, reaching about 8.5 billion EGP by the end of the current term, and that all land installments for new branches have been paid, making the real estate assets fully owned by Al Ahly.

El Khatib added that the club has shouldered substantial costs for sports activities, travel, and lodging in recent years, leading to the establishment of the Al Ahly Sports Services Company to manage these matters efficiently, delivering positive financial results and innovative investments, including organizing trips for members and fans.

He praised the Al Ahly Football Company for boosting commercial revenues, marketing players rights, financing new signings, and absorbing about 25% of contract values. He also thanked past boards and highlighted Yassin Mansour as a leading supporter of modernization and investment within the club.

El Khatib noted that the Company for Sports Facilities was created to build the new city and stadium, without imposing new financial burdens on the club, with plans to expand branches across governorates using the same model.

Fair wages and broader ambitions

The president asserted that Al Ahly was among the early sports institutions to implement minimum wages, recognizing workers as true partners in success, and he signaled broader investment opportunities aligned with the club s size and legacy.

He stressed that what has been achieved is not the end but a beginning of a new era built on inclusive development within the club.

Football and governance

On football, El Khatib said that successes came from a clear strategic plan prioritizing Al Ahly s interests, noting that any setback is managed swiftly to ensure stability and growth. He mentioned that Al Ahly participates in 19 sports and activities across its branches, demanding substantial investment and continuous effort to sustain financial and competitive support across disciplines. The expansion since 2017—from 88 to 249 feddans—covers the main headquarters on Gezira Island and branches in Sheikh Zayed, Nasr City, and Fifth Settlement, all overseen by the engineering team led by Samah Ali Kamel to meet high standards.

The community dimension

El Khatib highlighted that Al Ahly s mission extends beyond sport to national and community service through the Al Ahly Foundation for Community Development, which has become a model of humanitarian work, including initiatives like Beit Al Ahly that embodies the motto Al Ahly for Everyone. He stressed that the red supporters have always been the club s true backbone and that the Al Ahly ecosystem united in pursuit of the grand dream, the Century Project, the Al Ahly Stadium.

In closing, El Khatib noted that his electoral slate has seen fresh renewal around 50 percent of the names to inject new energy aligned with the modern investment vision. He lauded business figure Yassin Mansour, candidate for Vice President, calling him a symbol of investment in Egypt and the region with a bold plan for Al Ahly. The coming phase, he said, will extend what has been achieved while remaining faithful to the club s principles and storied history.

Sniper punchline: If ambition were a weapon, Al Ahly would be sniping the future from the stands, precise and patient. Sniper punchline two: When plans are this big, even the calendar needs a longer season, and the stadium might just file for a mortgage on trophies.