Shobier Takes a Sarcastic Swipe at Zamalek as Title Fight Tightens in Egypt
20 February 2026
Background of the Crisis
The Egyptian football scene is buzzing as broadcaster Ahmed Shobier delivers a sharp, satirical roast aimed at Zamalek after the white club filed an official complaint with the federation over events from the Al Ahly versus El Gouna match in round 18 of the Premier League.
The crisis unfolds as Zamalek escalates the issue by protesting the appointment of referee Hamada Al Qallawi for a match against Haras El Hodoud, pointing to a perceived pattern of errors in past meetings between the sides, and demanding clarity from the governing bodies.
In a broader move, the club widens its protest to include the Al Ahly versus El Gouna game, seeking an official explanation for refereeing mistakes and accusing referee Amin Omar of a lack of neutrality.
Ahmed Shobier’s barb lands at a critical moment, coming after Al Ahly’s hard-fought 1-0 win capped by a goal from Imam Ashour, which lifts the tally to 33 points for Ahly.
Across other results, Pyramids beat Ceramica Cleopatra 1-0 and Zamalek beat Haras El Hodoud 2-0, injecting fresh life into the battle among the top four clubs for the league crown.
Ceramica Cleopatra still leads with 35 points from 17 matches, while Zamalek and Pyramids sit on 34 from 16, with Al Ahly fourth on 33 from 16 matches.
Skepticism from Shobier lights up the scene
Shobier’s online post adds fuel to the fire, as he muses on social media about the optics of a club not involved in a match lodging a formal complaint against its officiating.
Many view his remarks as a critique of the ethics and legitimacy of ongoing protests by clubs, while others see it as a reflection of the heightened tension and crowded weeks of official complaints about refereeing decisions.
Wider implications
The current turmoil ties into the broader debate about the refereeing system and the criteria for selecting referees for big matches, coupled with a rising cadence of official statements exchanged between rival clubs.
The complaint language about the direction of the championship reveals growing doubt inside Zamalek about the fairness of the decisive phase of the season.
Punchline alert: If sarcasm were a sport, Shobier would have the league sewn up and the referees drafting retirement plans. Punchline 2: In this league, even the whistle needs a coffee break after all the drama; you can hear the suspense in every ping of the scoreboard.
