President of Al-Ahly SC Mahmoud Al-Khatib and Rakan Al Harth, chairperson of the Saudi company Sela, official media sponsor of Al Ahly, revealed at a Sunday press conference the club’s ‘Project of the Century’ that includes building a new stadium.
Al-Harth said that a group of Saudi, Emirati and Egyptian businessmen will finance the project in the coming period, adding that they are still negotiating over the location of the stadium.
For his part, Khatib stressed that the club’s board aims to make the stadium among the top 10 stadiums in the world, “if not the best.” He pointed out that the project will also include a number of integrated sports facilities.
Daily News Egypt outlines eight key things we know about Al-Ahly’s new stadium
1- The architecture company
Al-Harth revealed the design of Al-Ahly’s new stadium that was presented by the same architecture company that designed Wembley Stadium.
2- Components of the project
The project will include a playground, academy, shooting field, recreational, and cultural areas. The stadium will sport many LCD screens, offering a clear view of the field for all fans. The stadium will also include theatres and cinemas, as well as VIP hall and different stores for the club’s sponsoring companies.
3- 160 hotel rooms
The new stadium will include 160 rooms, making it the largest stadium in the world in terms of the number of hotel rooms. Therefore, it will be suitable for the team’s camps.
4- Museum and Al-Ahly Store
The stadium will include a museum of Al-Ahly’s historical achievements, in addition to Al-Ahly’s official store.
5- Immortalising Al-Ahly’s stars
Al-Harth said that each room in the hotel will be named after one of Al-Ahly’s stars, in an attempt to honour the names of the Red Castle.
6- The stadium’s capacity
The new stadium’s capacity will be 60,000 spectators and will be the largest sports project in Egypt.
7- When will the project begin?
The establishment of the new project will start immediately in preparation for obtaining the necessary licenses.
8. Cost of the stadium
A source at Al-Ahly said that the expected cost of the new stadium will not be less than EGP 8bn based on the initial feasibility study made by a number of Egyptian, Saudi and UAE investors.
