One Step Closer to a Third Term: Al Ahly's President Stands Firm as Elections Loom

Election closes as Al Ahly prepares for club elections

Al Ahly’s nomination window for the club’s leadership closed officially on Friday, completing a week-long period during which candidacies were accepted. The elections are slated for October 30-31, following amendments approved by the General Assembly to the club’s by-laws. The atmosphere inside the Red Castle is calm but charged, as fans and insiders alike await the final lineup and the administrative steps needed to seal the process.

Current president Mahmoud El-Khatib is running for a third consecutive term and, at this stage, faces no challenger for the presidency. The lack of a formal rival paves a smooth path for El-Khatib, whose impact since taking office in 2017—after a fierce contest with Mahmoud Tahr and a sweeping victory in 2021 over Khaled Suleiman—has been widely noted by supporters and rivals alike. The upcoming vote will focus on organizational validation rather than a battlefield like the club’s earlier days.

In more procedural terms, the step remaining before the election is the administrative body’s confirmation of the candidacies and the General Assembly’s endorsement of the winner at the end of the month. This marks a transition phase that could define the club’s direction for the coming years, as the board prepares to formalize the candidacies and align on a shared roadmap for Ahly’s next chapter.

Snare of the moment: the deputy race and other key roles

Similar to the presidential race, power inside the club’s leadership is being negotiated at several levels. Businessman Yassin Mansour appears poised to clinch the deputy president role, having run unopposed. Meanwhile, incumbent treasurer Khaled Mortagy has also submitted his candidacy for the same treasury post, signaling a consolidation of power behind the current leadership line and a continuation of the club’s financial stewardship strategy.

In the area of seats for the under-30 board members, only Ibrahim Al-Amri Farouk and swimmer Roida Hesham have filed to compete, ensuring at least some contest remains for youthful representation on the board. The stage is set for a broader contest, with seven seats still to be decided as 11 candidates had declared. The lineup includes: Tarek Qandeel, Mohamed El-Ghazawy, Mohamed El-Garhi, Mohamed El-Domati, Said Abdel-Hafiq, Hazem Helal, Ahmed Hosam Awad, alongside Manar Said, Hassan Tantawi, Ahmed Sharif and Ahmed Magdi Al-Haywan, forming the larger slate allied with El-Khatib.

Club officials indicated that a meeting of the current board, led by Mahmoud El-Khatib, would be held within the week to validate candidate papers before officially forwarding them to the club’s Administrative Committee for processing. This procedural step is crucial to ensure that the eventual ballot reflects a clean and transparent process for all parties involved.

Mortagy’s message

In a public statement, Khaled Mortagy, the candidate for treasurer, rejected any suggestion of anger or resentment over not securing the vice-presidential post previously held in an acting capacity after the passing of the late Amr Farouk. Mortagy asserted his candidacy for treasurer as a genuine, service-driven commitment to the club’s legacy and the values that have defined Ahly through the years. He stressed a collaborative approach, emphasizing continuity with Mahmoud El-Khatib and fellow ally Yassin Mansour, and extending solidarity to other members of the group as they pursue success for the institution they deeply cherish.

Mortagy concluded by praising the club’s heritage and stating a readiness to keep working with the legend Mahmoud El-Khatib, fellow Ahly stalwart Yassin Mansour, and the rest of the slate, while wishing success to those whose tenure in the current board has come to an end but whose contributions will be remembered as part of the club’s enduring story.

Ghali crisis

The current board saw five members depart without seeking re-election, including Dr. Mohamed Shouky, Mohamed Magdi, Mohamed Sirajuddin, Me Aatif, and Hossam Ghaly. President Mahmoud El-Khatib faced controversy after congratulating departing members en masse, sparking debate because Hossam Ghaly was singled out in some criticisms that had circulated in recent months. Mohammed El-Garhi, a board member, offered praise for his former colleagues in a formal statement on Facebook, declaring gratitude for their service and the cyclical nature of governance within the club. He also expressed respect for the remaining members of the team and emphasized that differences in management style or ideas should never undermine the overarching unity of the club’s love for Al Ahly.

Mohamed Fadel, a former Al Ahly star, publicly urged the club’s executive director Saad Shalabi to issue a formal statement thanking Hossam Ghaly, on the same terms extended to his colleagues who were thanked by Mahmoud El-Khatib. Fadel argued that Ghaly’s contributions to the club would not be forgotten and that the principles on which the club was founded demand acknowledgment of all players and staff who have served with dedication.

There is a sense among insiders that while governance methods and ideas may differ, the club remains a united family—an ethos that will continue to guide the leadership regardless of who sits on the board. Still, the political dynamics of Ahly’s internal elections promise to shape the club’s future trajectory for years to come.

Bottom line

As the club steps toward a formal electoral process, Al Ahly’s leadership faces a key test: maintain stability, acknowledge the past, and prepare for a future that preserves the club’s cultural and competitive edge. The coming weeks will reveal whether this year’s roster of candidates can cohere into a shared direction for the Red Castle, or whether new currents will pull the ship in a different direction.

Punchline corner

Sniper joke 1: If elections were football matches, Ahly’s board would have already earned a corner—every time someone argues, they just whip in a cross and hope for the best. Sniper remark: the only thing sharper than the board’s debate is the referee’s whistle—hope it doesn’t call a foul on common sense.

Sniper joke 2: They say politics is like a transfer window for clubs: everyone wants the best players, but the real magic is convincing the squad to stay when the fans are singing your name. And if you think the drama ends here, just wait for the trophy lift—it tends to silence the room with a very loud, very satisfied cheer.