⚽ Al Ahly Request Referees from Europe’s Major Leagues
Tawfik El Sayed, a member of the Egyptian Referees Committee, discussed Al Ahly’s request to bring in foreign referees from Europe’s major leagues for several Egyptian Premier League matches, including the derby against Zamalek and the game against Pyramids.
El Sayed explained that Al Ahly requested referees from the top five European leagues, but he questioned the idea that a referee’s league automatically guarantees the highest possible level of officiating.
🔥 El Sayed: A Major League Does Not Guarantee the Best Referee
Speaking on television, Tawfik El Sayed said: “Al Ahly requested foreign referees from the major leagues, but I disagree with that point because it is not necessarily the case that the best referees in the world are from those leagues.”
He referred to several high-profile European officials to underline the importance of evaluating referees according to their experience and level rather than simply the country or league they represent.
He mentioned referees including Slovenian Slavko Vincic, Poland’s Szymon Marciniak and Romania’s Istvan Kovacs.
📩 Contacts with England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands
El Sayed revealed that Essam Abdel Fattah has already begun contacting several European football associations as part of the search for referees capable of handling important Egyptian league fixtures.
He said: “Captain Essam Abdel Fattah has already started contacting some associations, such as England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.”
The move is part of the committee’s efforts to secure experienced referees for matches in which foreign officials are requested, particularly high-profile and highly scrutinized fixtures.
🇫🇷 Why Was the French Federation Not Contacted?
The referees committee member also addressed the decision not to contact the French Football Federation at this stage.
He linked the decision to what he described as some sensitivity following the Egypt-Argentina match officiated by French referee François Letexier, during which he said several refereeing errors occurred.
El Sayed said: “The French federation was not contacted to bring in a referee because there is currently some sensitivity after French referee François Letexier officiated the Egypt-Argentina match and made several mistakes.”
According to El Sayed, this was one of the factors considered when deciding which European associations to approach.
🏆 Search for a Top European Referee
El Sayed concluded by stressing that the committee will continue searching for highly experienced European officials rather than limiting its options to one country or league.
He said: “We are looking to bring in one of Europe’s elite referees to officiate the derby or any important match for which foreign referees are requested.”
The process of selecting foreign match officials therefore remains ongoing, with the final refereeing team for the derby expected to depend on coordination and negotiations with the relevant European football associations.
