In Egypt, the vibrant football fan culture has faded as security measures and restrictions have emptied stadiums and silenced cheers. Fans now watch matches from homes or cafes, reminiscing about the energetic crowds of the past.
Football is a sport deeply loved by the masses in Egypt, known for its strong and vibrant fan culture, marked by tight affiliation and performative practices of loyalty and support. Fans identify with their chosen teams through inherited family affiliations, allegiance to their local areas, or admiration for specific players on international teams.
At Zamalek matches, fans show their enthusiasm in the bleachers, but a limited number sit in a small section while the rest of the stadium remains empty. Zamalek fans are searched and identified using Tazkarti-issued fan IDs as they enter. Security guards form a cordon around the pitch to monitor fans during a match at Alexandria Stadium.
A Zamalek fan attends a match with his family to cheer on the team. In Damanhour, a fan reminisces about the energy of cheering crowds as he watches a video on his phone, and looks toward the entrance of Damanhour Stadium, recalling how supporters once cheered the team before its matches were relocated to a distant stadium.
Fans watch a football match in a café and follow it on their mobile phones after the television signal is cut off in the café. Three generations of a family watch a football match together at home.
Text and images by Mostafa Mostafa Mohamed.
