The Egyptian football league system is a multi-tiered structure that provides a platform for clubs across the nation to compete and progress. At the apex lies the Egyptian Premier League, a professional association football league featuring the top teams in the country. Below this prestigious league, lies the Egyptian Second Division, which has undergone significant transformations in recent years.
This article delves into the intricacies of the Egyptian Second Division league system, exploring its structure, format changes, and its role in shaping the landscape of Egyptian football.
The Egyptian Premier League
The Egyptian Premier League (Arabic: الدوري المصري الممتاز) is a professional association football league in Egypt and the top level of the Egyptian football league system. The league comprises 18 teams since the 2015-16 season and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Egyptian Second Division. Seasons mostly run from August to May. Unlike most other leagues, all games are played all over the week. All of the Egyptian Premier League clubs qualify for the Egypt Cup.
70 clubs have competed in the Egyptian Premier League since its founding in 1948. Al Ahly have won the title 41 times, more than any other club. The Egyptian Premier League used to be one of the leagues with the highest average stadium attendance in Africa and the Middle East until the Port Said Stadium riot occurred on 1 February 2012 after a league match involving Al Masry and Al Ahly, where 74 people were killed and more than 500 were injuired. Since that date, all domestic football matches were played behind closed doors until 2017, when the local security authorities started to allow fans to attend selected matches with gradually increasing numbers starting from 100 attendance only.
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The Egyptian Second Division A: The Professionals League
The Egyptian Second Division A (Arabic: دوري القسم الثاني المصري "أ"), also known locally as the Professionals League (Arabic: دوري المحترفين), is the second tier of the Egyptian football league system since the 2023-24 season. It is administered by the Egyptian Football Association. It is below the top professional league in the country, the Egyptian Premier League, and above the newly created Egyptian Second Division B.
Plans to replace the old Egyptian Second Division with a professional league were first revealed by the Egyptian Football Association in 2018, with the purpose of increasing the quality of the league, improving domestic competitions, and also for marketing reasons.
It was decided that the 2019-20 season will be the last edition with the old format, with the initial idea of lowering the number of teams participating in the league from 36 to 24 by relegating 15 teams to the Egyptian Third Division, and lowering the number of teams promoting from the lower league from twelve to just three.
Changes in Format
After Gamal Allam was elected to the presidency of the EFA in January 2022, the idea to change the format of the second tier surfaced again, and it was decided that the football league system in Egypt will undergo major changes. The EFA introduced a special format for the 2023-24 season, announced by Amer Hussein, the president of the Egyptian Football Association's Competition Committee, during a live TV interview on 19 June 2023, and officially confirmed on 9 July 2023.
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Ahead of the conclusion of the 2022-23 football season in Egypt, numerous clubs publicly called on the EFA to cancel the new Second Division A league. They argued that the new leagues would not improve Egyptian football but would instead lead to a decline for clubs not owned by companies, citing difficult financial conditions and the high costs of travel in the new league.
The format meant that the league would consist of 20 teams in a single group, with the top two teams earning promotion to the Egyptian Premier League. The third-placed team would compete against the first-placed team from each group in the Egyptian Second Division B in a four-team playoff round to determine the third promoted team to the Premier League.
The proposed promotion system gave Second Division B sides the opportunity to earn promotion directly to the Premier League without having to compete in the Second Division A. This decision drew significant criticism, as it was perceived as an attempt by the EFA to gain the trust of Second Division B teams, particularly those opposed to the implementation of the leagues, by providing them with a direct path to the Premier League.
Following further meetings with Second Division A teams, a new format was announced on 8 August 2023, featuring minor changes. The season consists of two phases: In the first phase, teams face each other only once in a single-leg tie, after which the league splits into two groups.
Phase two comprises a promotion group for teams finishing from first to tenth and a relegation group for teams finishing from 11th to 20th in the first phase. Similar to the initial format, the top two teams in the promotion group earn promotion to the Premier League, while the third-placed team competes against the three advancing teams from the Second Division B in a four-team playoff round to determine the third promoted team to the Premier League.
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Starting from the 2024-25 season, a new format was introduced, which was the original format intended to be adopted from the first season. The league consists of 20 teams in one group, with all teams playing each other twice, home and away, for a total of thirty-eight matches.
The season played with 21 teams although Asmant Asyut FC and Asyut Petroleum SC finished the season with 23 and 15 games. Asmant Asyut FC was regulated to Egyptian Third Division while Asyut Petroleum SC maintained Second Division status.
Like other divisions in Egypt, it takes place annually, beginning in September/October, and ending in May/June of the following year. The 2025 season commenced with 3 promotion spots for the top three teams and 1 regulation spot for the last place team. The 2025 season begun with 18 teams.
The Egyptian Second Division B
The Egyptian Second Division B (Arabic: دوري القسم الثاني المصري "ب") is the third tier of the Egyptian football league system starting from the 2023-24 season. It replaces the Egyptian Third Division on the pyramid. It is administered by the Egyptian Football Association. In 2022, after Gamal Allam was elected for the presidency of the EFA, the idea to restructure the old Egyptian Second Division emerged again, and a series of major changes were announced.
The Egypt Second Division B is a competitive football tournament serving as a key tier in the Egyptian football league system. It features clubs vying for promotion to the higher divisions, showcasing emerging talent and fostering competitive spirit among teams across the country. The tournament offers a platform for clubs to demonstrate their skills, with matches characterized by intense rivalry and strategic gameplay.
The Old Egyptian Second Division
The Egyptian Second Division (Arabic: دوري القسم الثاني المصري) was an Egyptian semi-professional football league representing the second tier of the Egyptian football league system until 2023. It was administered by the Egyptian Football Association.
Promotion and Relegation
The Egyptian Premier League operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Egyptian Second Division. The Egypt Division 2 Soccer Tournament is an exhilarating showcase of talent, passion, and competition, serving as the second tier of professional football in Egypt. This tournament features a diverse array of clubs from across the nation, each vying for promotion to the prestigious Egyptian Premier League.
Throughout the season, teams engage in a rigorous schedule of matches, battling for crucial points in a bid to secure their place at the top of the league table. As the tournament progresses, the stakes rise, culminating in a thrilling climax where the top teams compete for promotion and the chance to etch their names in the annals of Egyptian football history.
Egyptian Premier League 2025/26
The Egyptian Clubs Association officially set the date for the 2025 /26 Premier League draw with the ceremony scheduled for Sunday, 27 Jul at the Goal Project headquarters in 6th of October City. Representatives from all participating clubs will attend.
The new season will officially begin on 8 Aug , featuring expanded roster of 21 club following the cancellation of relegation last season. The 1st half of the season will follow the traditional round robin format.
Newly promoted sides include:
| League | Promotion Spots | Relegation Spots |
|---|---|---|
| Egyptian Premier League | - | 3 |
| Egyptian Second Division A | 2 | - |
| Egyptian Second Division B | 1 (via play-off) | - |
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