El-Ghandour Reveals the Surprise: Al Ahly's Profits “Aren’t Net”... Taxes Consumed the Figures
Khaled El-Ghandour questions the net profits Al Ahly gained from the Club World Cup and Wissam Abu Ali’s deal due to high taxation.
Former Zamalek star Khaled El-Ghandour has stirred considerable debate on social media after speaking candidly about the true financial gains achieved by Al Ahly in recent months — particularly through their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup and the transfer of their Palestinian striker Wissam Abu Ali to the American league.
In a lengthy post shared via his official Facebook account, El-Ghandour expressed his surprise at the figures circulating in the media, claiming that a large portion of them are inaccurate, especially given the lack of public discussion about the significant local and international taxes imposed on such revenues.
He wrote:
"People throwing around exaggerated figures need to understand that there are heavy taxes being deducted — whether it’s foreign taxes on funds transferred from international entities, or local taxes like VAT and others. These significantly affect the net amount that actually reaches the club."
He went on to say:
"Take the Club World Cup money, for example — it’s subject to deductions by the granting body (FIFA), then further taxes from the host country, and finally more taxes in Egypt. Combined, this can reach over 40% of the original amount. So, the actual net revenue the club receives is far less than what people imagine."
El-Ghandour also pointed to the Wissam Abu Ali deal — reportedly worth $7.5 million plus $1 million in potential add-ons — noting that this, too, came with its own set of deductions.
"Any money coming from the U.S. is taxed there first, then again in Egypt. In the end, this reduces the actual profit the club benefits from," he explained.
The former Zamalek captain continued:
"The issue isn't with the announced figures — it’s with the misconception that those full amounts end up in Al Ahly’s treasury, which isn’t true. There's a huge difference between the gross value and the net revenue after deductions."
He concluded with a pointed message to Egyptian football fans:
"It’s important to be realistic when evaluating financial matters. Sometimes the media paints a picture of clubs earning tens of millions, when in fact the amount that actually reaches the club is much smaller — and that needs to be said clearly."
It’s worth noting that Al Ahly reportedly earned around $11.5 million from their participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, including $9.5 million as base rewards and an additional $2 million from draws against Inter Miami and Porto.
The club also sold Wissam Abu Ali to MLS side Columbus Crew for a base fee of $7.5 million, with another $1 million in performance-related bonuses — bringing the deal’s total to $8.5 million. However, according to El-Ghandour’s analysis, these official numbers don’t accurately reflect the club’s net earnings, once taxes and other deductions are taken into account.
His core message: Don’t judge the success of a transfer or tournament performance based solely on public figures — the real story lies in what actually ends up in the club’s accounts.
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