The Cairo derby () or the Top Match (), known as the Arab Classico () is a rivalry between Egyptian football clubs Al Ahly and Zamalek, arguably the two most successful clubs in Egypt and Africa. Al Ahly and Zamalek were named by the CAF as the 1st and 2nd African clubs of the 20th century respectively. It is considered one of the fiercest sports encounters, and its matches attract a large audience. This match is known for its intensity since 1917 until today.
Both teams are located in Greater Cairo and their matches are considered the highlight of the football season with a live broadcast to most of the Middle Eastern and North African countries since the 1970s. Usually the derby is played twice each season with 2 matches in the Egyptian Premier League, but it is not uncommon to find the teams meeting each other in the Egypt Cup, especially in the final, and in Africa's most prestigious club competition, the CAF Champions League. The best-attended football match between Al-Ahly and Zamalek in Cairo attracted a crowd of 120,000.
The rivalry
Ever since their creation, both clubs have been the top clubs in the Egyptian Premier League, the country's top-flight football league. Also, it was chosen one of the five of the toughest derbies in the world according by the BBC.
On 9 February 1917, the first match between Zamalek and Al Ahly took place at Zamalek Stadium, ending with Al Ahly defeating Zamalek by a score of 1–0, with the goal scored by Abdel Hamid Moharram. They met again 21 days later, on 2 March 1917, at Al Ahly Stadium, and Zamalek defeated Al Ahly by a score of 1–0, with the goal scored by Ali El-Hassani. In the first half of the 20th century.Grant Wahl, American Pharaoh: Ex-U.S. coach Bradley has Egypt on brink of World Cup , Sports Illustrated, Published 9 October 2013, Retrieved 10 October 2013. Initially, in the original league, Al Ahly and Zamalek won almost the same amount of trophies in the Cairo League, with Al Ahly winning 15 titles and Zamalek winning 14 titles. In the newly launched Egyptian Premier League in 1948, Al Ahly has proven to be the better team in every aspect of the game and even off the field management wise; Al Ahly won their first league title in the 1948–49 season and won 44 league titles after that. Zamalek managed to win the league 14 times.On 5 January 1923, Zamalek met Al Ahly in a friendly contest, the match ended by a victory for Zamalek by a score of 5–0, goals scored by Ali Riadh, Hussein Hegazi and Sadek Fahmy (three goals), Fahmy was the first player to score a hat-trick in the history of the derby, but in a friendly match. In the Sultan Hussein Cup, Zamalek and Al Ahly had never met in the final, however, they played six matches. The first match was in the 1924 Sultan Hussein Cup's semifinal on 17 March 1924, the match finished in a 1–1 draw, in the rematch on 21 March, Zamalek won 2–0 and advanced to the final. One of the unforgettable matches in the history of the Sultan Hussein Cup was the 1930 derby, despite that the two belligerents failed to win this season's title, the match was of a high level of intensity and had much media attention. Zamalek faced Al Ahly in a purely Egyptian contest, in which Zamalek knocked Al Ahly out of the competition, after defeating them with a score of 3–1 in the semi-finals. Zamalek's goals were scored by Mohamed Latif and Mostafa Taha (two goals), while Al Ahly's goal was scored by Mahmoud Mokhtar El Tetsh.
The largest winning margin in this derby was 6–0 for Zamalek, which has been achieved 2 times. The first time was the 1942 Cairo Derby on January 2, 1942, in the 1941–42 Cairo League, and the second time was on June 2, 1944, when Zamalek was known as Farouk back then, at the 1944 Egypt Cup Final.
In the first season of the Egyptian Premier League, the first derby took place on 10 September 1948, and the belligerents finished in a draw by a score of 2–2. The second leg finished with a 1–0 win for Zamalek. In the Egypt Cup, they met in the 1952 Egypt Cup final, Zamalek won Al Ahly 2–0, the next year Al Ahly won Zamalek 4–1. In 1959 Egypt Cup final, Zamalek won Al Ahly by a score of 2–1.
The longest unbeaten streak in the history of the derby was eleven years, Al Ahly didn't beat Zamalek in an official match from 20 April 1962 to 30 March 1973. However, Al Ahly has the longest winning streaks, especially in the league.
Fans of both clubs can be violent when in anger, such as a match in the 1971–1972 season, which had crowd violence and caused the rest of the season to be called off. Numerous fights, injuries, and deaths have been reported before matters became more controlled due to Egypt's authoritarian regime. Yet many fights and riots still occur after derby matches between both sets of fans, leading the government to post even higher numbers of Central Security Forces troops in the stadium during the derby. The number of fights have increased with the increasing popularity of the "ultras" movement.
After Zamalek won the 1993 African Cup of Champions Clubs and Al Ahly won the 1993 African Cup Winners' Cup. The CAF Super Cup presented the first continental match between two Egyptian clubs. The match took place on 16 January 1994, at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Zamalek won by a score of 1–0, goal was scored by Ayman Mansour. Zamalek won the 1994 CAF Super Cup for the first time for an Egyptian team and in the 2nd edition of the new tournament.
Non-Egyptian referees are often flown in to officiate the derby to ensure impartiality. In 2008, World Soccer Magazine selected the Cairo Derby as the 10th most fierce derby in the world. Besides the estimated 50 million domestic TV audience, the game is huge all over North Africa, the Middle East and the entire world. On 24 February 2020, Zamalek forfeited a league match against Al Ahly, a few days after their match at the 2019–20 Egyptian Super Cup.
On 5 November 2020, Zamalek overcame Raja Casablanca 4–1 in the second leg of the 2019–20 CAF Champions League semi-finals, and set up the historic final with Al-Ahly, marking the first time ever in their history that the two clubs faced each other in the final of an international competition. The single-leg final was played on 27 November 2020, and Al-Ahly won the match 2–1, earning a competition record ninth Champions League title.
The Meetings Key
League These are the meetings in the Egyptian Premier League
SeasonHome teamResultAway team1948–49Zamalek2–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–1Zamalek1949–50Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek1950–51Zamalek0–2Al AhlyAl Ahly3–0Zamalek1951–52 No matches due to Egyptian Revolution of 19521952–53Zamalek2–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1953–54Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly4–2Zamalek1954–55Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek1955–56Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–2Zamalek1956–57Zamalek0–2Al AhlyAl Ahly1–1Zamalek1957–58Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly3–1Zamalek1958–59Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek1959–60Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–1Zamalek1960–61Zamalek1–4Al AhlyAl Ahly1–3Zamalek1961–62Zamalek0–3Al AhlyAl Ahly3–0Zamalek1962–63Zamalek1–1Al AhlyNo away match due to one leg championship play-off1963–64 No matches because they were in separate groups in the League1964–65Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–2Zamalek1965–66Zamalek2–0Al AhlyAl Ahly2–2Zamalek1966–67Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly0–1Zamalek1967–68 No matches due to Six-Day War & War of Attrition 1968–69 1969–70 1970–711971–72Zamalek2–1Al Ahly No away match due to crowd violence in the first match1972–73Al Ahly1–1ZamalekZamalek0–1Al Ahly1973–74 No matches due to October War1974–75Zamalek1–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1975–76 No matches because they were in separate groups in the League1976–77Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly2–1Zamalek1977–78Zamalek0–1Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1978–79Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly1–1Zamalek1979–80Zamalek1–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1980–81Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly0–2Zamalek1981–82Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly1–1Zamalek1982–83Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly1–0Zamalek1983–84Zamalek2–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–1Zamalek1984–85Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly1–0Zamalek1985–86Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–2Zamalek1986–87Zamalek1–0Al AhlyAl Ahly2–1Zamalek1987–88Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly1–1Zamalek1988–89Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly1–0Zamalek1989–90Zamalek0–0Al Ahly No away match due to 1990 World Cup preparations1990–91Zamalek0–1Al AhlyAl Ahly0–2Zamalek1991–92Zamalek0–1Al AhlyAl Ahly0–1Zamalek1992–93Zamalek1–0Al AhlyAl Ahly0–1Zamalek1993–94Zamalek0–3Al AhlyAl Ahly0–2Zamalek1994–95Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1995–96Al Ahly2–0ZamalekZamalek0–0Al Ahly1996–97Zamalek1–3Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1997–98Zamalek0–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek1998–99Zamalek1–2Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek1999–2000Al Ahly1–2ZamalekZamalek0–0Al Ahly2000–01Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly1–3Zamalek2001–02Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly6–1Zamalek2002–03Zamalek3–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–2Zamalek2003–04Al Ahly1–2ZamalekZamalek1–0Al Ahly2004–05Zamalek2–4Al AhlyAl Ahly3–0Zamalek2005–06Zamalek0–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek2006–07Zamalek1–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–2Zamalek2007–08Zamalek0–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek2008–09Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly1–0Zamalek2009–10Zamalek3–3Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek2010–11Zamalek2–2Al AhlyAl Ahly0–0Zamalek2011–12 No matches due to Port Said Stadium riot2012–13 No matches due to June 2013 Egyptian protests2013–14Zamalek0–1Al Ahly No away match due to one leg championship play-off2014–15Zamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek2015–16Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek2016–17Zamalek0–2Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek2017–18Zamalek0–3Al AhlyAl Ahly1–2Zamalek2018–19Zamalek0–0Al AhlyAl Ahly1–0Zamalek2019–20Al Ahly2–0ZamalekZamalek3–1Al Ahly2020–21Al Ahly2–1ZamalekAl Ahly1–1Zamalek2021–22Zamalek3–5Al AhlyAl Ahly2–2Zamalek2022–23Zamalek0–3Al AhlyAl Ahly4–1Zamalek2023–24Zamalek2–1Al AhlyAl Ahly2–0Zamalek2024–25Al Ahly1–1ZamalekZamalek3–0Al Ahly2025–26Al Ahly2–1ZamalekZamalek0–3Al Ahly
Al Ahly winsDrawsZamalek wins525129
Egypt Cup These are the meetings in the Egypt Cup
SeasonRoundHome teamScoreAway team 1927–28FinalZamalek 0–1Al Ahly1928–29Quarter FinalZamalek0–1Al Ahly1930–31FinalZamalek1–4Al Ahly1931–32FinalZamalek2–1Al Ahly1932–33Semi-FinalAl Ahly3–1Zamalek1933–34Semi-FinalZamalek3–0Al Ahly 1934–35FinalZamalek3–0Al Ahly1936–37Quarter FinalZamalek1–1Al AhlyQuarter Final ReplayZamalek2–2Al AhlyQuarter Final ReplayZamalek0–5Al Ahly1937–38FinalZamalek1–1Al AhlyFinal ReplayZamalek1–0Al Ahly1941–42FinalAl Ahly3–0Zamalek1943–44FinalZamalek6–0Al Ahly1947–48Semi-FinalAl Ahly1–2Zamalek1948–49FinalZamalek1–3Al Ahly1951–52FinalZamalek2–0Al Ahly1952–53FinalAl Ahly4–1Zamalek1957–58FinalZamalek0–0Al AhlyFinal ReplayAl Ahly2–2Zamalek1958–59FinalZamalek2–1Al Ahly 1977–78FinalAl Ahly4–2Zamalek1984–85Quarter FinalAl Ahly3–2Zamalek1988–89Quarter FinalAl Ahly2–1Zamalek 1990–91Semi-FinalAl Ahly2–0Zamalek 1991–92FinalAl Ahly2–1Zamalek 2005–06FinalAl Ahly3–0Zamalek 2006–07FinalAl Ahly4–3Zamalek 2009–10Round of 16Al Ahly3–1Zamalek2014–15FinalZamalek2–0Al Ahly 2015–16FinalZamalek3–1Al Ahly2020–21FinalZamalek2–1Al Ahly2022–23FinalAl Ahly2–0Zamalek
Al Ahly winsDrawsZamalek wins17511
Egyptian Super Cup
These are the meetings in the Egyptian Super Cup
DateHome team ScoreAway team2003–04Al Ahly 0–0 (3–1 p)Zamalek2008–09Al Ahly2–0Zamalek2014–15Al Ahly0–0 (5–4 p)Zamalek2015–16Zamalek2–3Al Ahly2016–17Al Ahly0–0 (1–3 p)Zamalek 2018–19Al Ahly3–2Zamalek2019–20Al Ahly0–0 (3–4 p)Zamalek2021–22Al Ahly2–0 Zamalek2024–25Al Ahly 0–0 (7–6 p)Zamalek2025–26Al Ahly2–0 Zamalek Al Ahly winsDrawsZamalek wins550
CAF Champions League These are the meetings in the CAF Champions league
SeasonRoundHome teamScoreAway team2004–05Semi-FinalZamalek 1–2Al AhlyAl Ahly 2–0Zamalek2007–08Group stageAl Ahly 2–1Zamalek Al Ahly 2–2Zamalek2011–12Group stageZamalek0–1Al AhlyAl Ahly1–1Zamalek2012–13Group stageZamalek1–1Al AhlyAl Ahly4–2Zamalek2019–20FinalZamalek1–2Al Ahly Al Ahly winsDrawsZamalek wins630
CAF Super Cup
There are two meetings in the CAF Super Cup
SeasonRoundHome teamScoreAway team1994FinalZamalek1–0Al Ahly2024FinalAl Ahly1–1 (3–4 p)Zamalek Al Ahly winsDrawsZamalek wins011