Egypt eases spectator ban for football league matches

Portraits of the victims of the Port Said Stadium riot are seen during an Al-Ahly football match in Mokhtar El-Tetsh Stadium in Cairo on February 1, 2014, to mark the second anniversary of the deadly event. By Mohamed el-Shahed (AFP/File)

Cairo (AFP) - Egypt will allow some fans to attend Premier League football matches for the first time since imposing a spectator ban after a deadly 2012 stadium riot, the football federation said Sunday.

A statement carried by the state-run MENA news agency said that the ban would continue to be observed for games in which any two of the six main clubs are competing.

"The interior ministry and the minister of youth and sports have agreed (to allow) the presence of spectators at Premier League matches," when the second round resumes, the Egyptian Football Federation said.

There will be, however, restrictions on how many fans can attend the matches, with 10,000 supporters allowed at games held in Cairo and Alexandria stadiums and 5,000 in smaller venues across the country.

Top clubs Al-Ahly, Zamalek, Al-Ittihad, Ismaily, Al-Masry and Damanhur will continue to play in empty stadiums when any of the six play each other.

Egypt imposed a supporter ban after 74 fans were killed and hundreds wounded when a stadium riot broke out in February 2012 in Port Said between supporters of local side Al-Masry and Al-Ahly of Cairo.

Since the riot, the interior ministry had allowed some supporters to attend national games and matches involving Egyptian teams in continental competitions.