Ismaily as among Africa’s most successful clubs. The amazing aspect about the Egyp- tian league is that unlike other successful leagues in Africa like South Africa and Tuni- sia that are more driven by foreign players, the Egyptian league is more driven by home based players, no more than three foreign players are allowed on any side in the Egyptian Premier League.
The result is that you do not only have a strong crop of home players but a strong na- tional team. This quality has also given the Egyptian players strong incentives to play back at home. It is almost impossible to see players from Nigeria, Ghana or Ivory Coast for instance running back to play in their home leagues at their peak but in Egypt players like Zaki and Mido have returned to play back in Egypt even when they are wanted by European clubs.
The Egyptian football season, which lasts from August to May has the luxury of a six- week winter break that lasts from the end of December to February. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each sea- son, the club with the most points is crowned champions.
If points are equal, then the goal difference and then goals scored determine the win- ner. The three lowest placed teams are relegated into the Division II League, and the top three teams from the the Division II league are promoted in their place. A total of 62 clubs have played in the Egyptian Premier League from its inception in 1948-49 up to and including the 2010–11 season. But only two clubs have been members of the Egyptian Premier League for every season since its inception .There are Al-Ahly and Al-Zamalek.
Notwithstanding, the successes the Egyptian top flight league has been experiencing they have undoubtedly faced some serious problems in recent times as funds dwindle and some observers and football fans calling for more sponsorship of football clubs. The league which once dominated Africa in terms of prestige and sponsorship is now facing sterner competition from the South African and Tunisian leagues, the resur- gence of Congolese club TP Mazembe and the huge sponsorship that team have se- cured over the past two years is said to have surpassed Alhy.
Some Egyptian football observers see this as a worrying trend and they believe there must be some overhaul inside Egypt, the country which they see as the Brazil of Af- rica. Another worrying trend is the upsurge of violence in football arenas, the problem which has been a worry for the Egyptian FA recently came into the headlines once more at Ahly stadium when chaotic violence erupted in a CAF Champions league
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