Popular Sports to Play in Egypt

Published on January 22, 2026 and written by Cyril Jarnias

Discovering popular sports to play in Egypt means delving into the heart of what makes the country tick on a daily basis. From the dusty pitches of working-class neighborhoods to Cairo’s state-of-the-art gyms, from sweltering stadiums to the translucent waters of the Red Sea, physical activity here is far more than just a pastime: it’s a marker of identity, a social glue, and a fantastic meeting ground between millennia-old traditions and ultra-contemporary practices.

Within this landscape, certain disciplines clearly dominate, starting with soccer, a veritable secular religion. But the country is far from being reduced to this single ball game: basketball, handball, volleyball, squash, tennis, combat sports, running, water sports, and traditional or emerging practices—the palette is surprisingly rich. Simultaneously, the growing strength of fitness culture is transforming the relationship with sport in major cities.

Soccer, National Passion and King of Sports

It’s impossible to talk about popular sports to play in Egypt without starting with soccer. Approximately 60% of Egyptians declare themselves fans of the sport, and nearly 90% cite it among their favorite TV entertainment. Many follow local club or national team matches almost daily, at cafes, with family, or among colleagues.

The local championship, the Egyptian Premier League, is the showcase for this passion. Established in 1948, it now brings together 18 teams and is played in a home-and-away format, meaning 34 matches per club. The system is classic: three points for a win, one for a draw, promotion and relegation with the second division. Over more than seven decades, about 70 clubs have tasted top-flight action, but the competition has remained dominated by two giants, Al Ahly and Zamalek.

A Championship Dominated by Al Ahly and Zamalek

Al Ahly is by far the most decorated club in the country and on the continent. Of 61 championships between 1948 and 2020, it won 42, or nearly 70% of the titles. Even today, it boasts 45 national crowns, while its historic rival Zamalek has 14. Behind this duo, only a few names have managed to break into the winner’s circle: Ismaily, Ghazl El Mahalla, Al Mokawloon Al Arab, Olympic Club, and Tersana.

In recent years, a newcomer has disrupted this established order: Pyramids FC, bought by a Saudi billionaire in 2018. By injecting significant resources, the club quickly transformed into a serious title contender, to the point of eclipsing Ismaily in the role of the championship’s “third force.” During the 2021-2022 season, Zamalek won the Premier League, Pyramids FC finished second, and Al Ahly only third—a first for the Red Giant since 1992.

To gauge this hierarchy, one need only look at online tracking statistics. For internet searches between 2019 and 2020, Al Ahly concentrated about 50% of the volume, Zamalek 38%, and Ismaily between 2% and 4%. On social media in October 2022, Al Ahly had nearly 33 million followers, Zamalek 22 million, far ahead of other African clubs.

Cairo, Capital of the Derby and Major Stadiums

The rivalry between Al Ahly and Zamalek, known as the Cairo Derby, extends far beyond the sporting arena. This match is watched by more than half the country’s population, brings families together, divides friends, and fuels discussions for days. It has such significance that it has been ranked among the most intense derbies in the world.

In the north, the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria can hold 86,000 people. These infrastructures have enabled Egypt to host many major competitions, including several editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as FIFA youth tournaments.

A History Marked by Ultras and Tragedies

The passion for soccer in Egypt is also expressed through highly organized ultra supporter groups, which emerged from the 2000s onward. These groups played a central role in animating the stands, with giant tifos, chants, flares, and a very strong identity. But they also carried political weight, notably during the 2011 revolution, where some participated in protests by waving symbolic red cards.

This history explains why, for years, the public was banned from the stands or admitted in a trickle. Starting in 2017, authorities began gradually reopening stadiums: first a hundred spectators, then several thousand. For the 2021-2022 season, 2,000 people were allowed per match, a number raised to 5,000 a few months later, then to 3,000 per team at the start of the following season. Supporters are slowly returning, but under strict control: collection of personal data, enhanced surveillance, bans on certain chants or symbols.

Playing Soccer in Daily Life

For the average Egyptian, soccer is not just a spectacle: it is first and foremost an accessible game, played in alleyways, on vacant lots, or in the country’s many multi-sport clubs. A 2018 survey indicated that half the population reported having played soccer in the past month. Facility density remains unequal, but official statistics listed over 5,200 sports facilities in the country in 2021, a slight increase from the previous year.

It’s played at all levels: improvised futsal in neighborhoods, inter-company tournaments, amateur leagues, professional training centers. Historic clubs like Al Ahly or Zamalek have highly structured youth academies. New projects also aim for the inclusion of women, long confined to the role of spectators. Women’s academies and clubs are emerging in major cities, even if the women’s national team remains far from world standards.

Basketball, Handball, and Volleyball: The Strength of Team Sports

While soccer clearly dominates conversations, other team sports hold an important place in the Egyptian landscape, notably basketball, handball, and volleyball. They benefit from a dual dynamic: a very successful elite practice at the continental level, and a network of amateur clubs that allows many young people to try them out.

Studies on sport popularity generally rank these disciplines just behind soccer. For the recent period, a list of the 10 most-watched sports in Egypt places basketball second, volleyball third, and handball just behind.

Basketball: The Second Most Practiced Sport

Introduced as early as the 1920s, basketball quickly found its place in the country’s schools and clubs. The Egyptian Basketball Federation, founded in 1934, now oversees a dense network of over 200 clubs and more than 30,000 registered players. The national championship, the Super League, brings together the best of them and enjoys a solid audience.

This tradition has continued into the modern era with the Basketball Africa League (BAL), the pan-African league supported by the NBA. In 2021, Zamalek won the inaugural edition of this competition, shining an additional spotlight on Egyptian basketball. Historically, some players have also broken through internationally: Alaa Abdelnaby, for example, played in the NBA, becoming one of the first Egyptians to do so.

In practice, basketball is widely played in multi-sport clubs, private schools, university campuses, and is gaining ground in neighborhoods thanks to the proliferation of outdoor courts. It attracts both for its spectacular aspect and its modern image, very present on social media.

Handball: An African and Global Giant

Egyptian handball is another area of excellence. The national championship has existed since the late 1950s, and the federation, recognized by the world body (IHF) as early as 1960, has gradually structured a highly successful training pathway. The men’s national team has won the African Nations Championship five times and is the reigning continental champion.

On the world stage, Egypt has established itself as the first non-European nation to reach the semifinals of the World Championships and the Olympic semifinals. A peak was reached in 2001 with a fourth-place world finish, a result matched in terms of playing level by recent generations, who finished seventh in 2021 and 2023.

Clubs like Al Ahly, Zamalek, Smouha, or Gezira dominate the national championship and excel in African cups. The country has enough clout to host major events, like the 2025 Men’s Club World Championship. On that occasion, a youth World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Egypt drew over 22,000 spectators, a record attendance for the discipline at that level.

At the practice level, handball is well established in schools and clubs, especially in urban areas. It particularly attracts young boys, drawn to the high pace, physical contact, and prospects of an international career. Figures like Ahmed El-Ahmar, considered one of the best right backs of his generation, serve as role models.

Volleyball: A Widely Present Discipline at All Levels

Volleyball generally ranks in the top three team sports played in Egypt after soccer and basketball. The men’s team has participated in the Olympics five times, starting in 1976, and had won nine African championships by 2023. The women’s team, meanwhile, is a four-time African champion.

Volleyball isn’t limited to indoor courts. The country also develops beach volleyball, fueled by its extraordinary coastline. An Egyptian women’s team thus made an impression at the 2016 Rio Games, playing in hijab on the sand against opponents in full bikinis—an image that became emblematic of the sport’s cultural diversity. Egypt also participated in the CAVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup between 2018 and 2020.

In daily life, volleyball is very accessible: it’s found in neighborhood clubs, schools, universities, and on beaches, especially around Alexandria and the Red Sea. Its friendly and mixed-gender nature makes it an increasingly popular choice for families and groups of friends.

Squash, Tennis, Swimming, Racket Sports: A Taste for Performance

Beyond team sports, Egypt has built a global reputation in several individual disciplines, particularly squash, but also tennis, swimming, boxing, table tennis, and taekwondo. These sports are widely practiced in urban clubs, which often offer a multi-activity package.

Squash: A Global Superpower

If one sport embodies Egyptian domination on a planetary scale, it is squash. Since the 1930s, the country has produced very high-level champions, but it’s especially since the 1990s that the Egyptian wave has swept the discipline. The personal involvement of former President Hosni Mubarak, himself a dedicated player, helped develop infrastructure and raise the sport’s profile.

Today, Egypt has won the World Team Championships seven times, and its male and female players regularly share the world number one ranking. Names like Amr Shabana, a four-time individual World Champion, or Ramy Ashour, a virtuoso crowned world number one in 2010, have inspired an entire generation. On the women’s side, Nour El Sherbini, Raneem El Weleily, and Nour El Tayeb have held the world number one ranking and won multiple major titles.

Tennis and Racket Sports

Tennis also enjoys a long tradition. The Egyptian Federation was established in the early 1920s, and the national team has participated in the Davis Cup since 1929. Ismail El Shafei, a prominent figure, won a Grand Slam doubles title in the 1970s and remains a reference. More recently, Mohamed Safwat became the first Egyptian to enter the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament directly.

In major cities, sports clubs almost always have tennis courts, and the practice is becoming more democratized, even if it remains somewhat more expensive than team sports. Table tennis is significantly more accessible, with an estimated base of 150,000 to 200,000 players across the country. Egypt largely dominates the African table tennis scene, as evidenced by the six gold medals won at the latest edition of the African Games. Athletes like Omar Assar, a multiple African champion who has excelled at the Olympics, or the young Hana Goda, already a continental champion at 17, embody this dynamism.

Swimming, Boxing, Taekwondo: Olympic Disciplines on the Rise

Swimming has its roots in antiquity: the Nile long served as the primary “pool” for Egyptians. Since the 1930s, Egyptian swimmers have regularly appeared at the Olympic Games. Farida Osman, a butterfly sprinter, holds several African records and won a world championship medal, becoming a symbol of female success in a demanding sport.

Taekwondo, meanwhile, illustrates the rising power</strong of martial arts of foreign origin. With over 100,000 registered practitioners, the country is one of the African strongholds of the discipline. Hedaya Malak, a double Olympic medalist, has become an icon, paving the way for many young girls.

To have a synthesized view of high-level disciplines, the main Egyptian elite sports can be summarized as follows:

The Rise of Fitness Culture

Beyond elite sport, the main evolution in recent years in Egypt is the explosion of fitness practice, especially in major urban areas. Cairo, Alexandria, and Giza are seeing a proliferation of modern gyms, specialized studios, running clubs, and communities of cyclists or crossfit enthusiasts.

The reasons are multiple: rapid urbanization, generalization of office work, awareness of the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, rise of a middle class attentive to its image and health, influence of social media and international models of the “perfect body.” This phenomenon fits a global trend but has local specificities.

Gyms for All Budgets

The Egyptian fitness market shows impressive growth. According to various studies, it could surpass $300 million in revenue within the next decade, with annual growth rates in double digits. Centers are now found in many types of infrastructures: commercial clubs, hotels and resorts, schools and universities, private residences, hospitals, traditional sports clubs, public institutions.

Historic multi-sport clubs – Gezira, Heliopolis, Al Ahly, Zamalek, Maadi, Smouha, Shooting Club, etc. – play a key role. They combine pools, fields, tennis courts, and fitness spaces. Entry fees are high, sometimes several hundred thousand Egyptian pounds for a family, with differences based on education level and location. These clubs function as true micro-societies: places for training, socializing, events, and family life.

Group Classes, Community Running, and Triathlons

In this new fitness culture, group classes have particular success. Sessions of HIIT, Zumba, Pilates, yoga, TRX, or even Kangoo jumps (jumping with spring-loaded shoes) are multiplying. They meet the need for camaraderie, group motivation, and professional guidance.

Following this movement, triathlon is taking hold. Specialized organizations, like The TriFactory, set up events in Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna, Alexandria, Aswan, and even at the foot of the pyramids. Athletes combine sea swimming, road cycling, and running in spectacular settings, attracting a local and international clientele.

Sport, Wellness, and Entrepreneurship

This fitness boom largely rests on a new generation of sports entrepreneurs. Trainers, former athletes, nutritionists, wellness specialists are launching studio concepts, bootcamps, events, or online platforms. Local brands for online programs, personalized coaching, or fitness content on social media are appearing.

Simultaneously, the wellness dimension is asserting itself. More and more places combine sport, nutrition, personal development, and sometimes meditation. Yoga or Pilates studios, wellness retreats in places like the Siwa Oasis, programs focused on mental health complement the offering. The idea of a “healthy lifestyle” is taking hold, even if it remains primarily urban.

Water Sports and Outdoor Activities: The Red Sea as a Playground

With its 3,500 kilometers of coastline, notably along the Red Sea, and the presence of the Nile, Egypt is an ideal terrain for many water sports. Weather conditions are particularly favorable: little rainfall, lots of sun, mild temperatures in winter and hot in summer, regular winds in some areas.

Diving, Snorkeling, and Marine Life

The Red Sea is a world-renowned paradise for scuba diving and snorkeling. Cities like Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Dahab, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, or Safaga live largely off this underwater tourism. The coral reefs are among the most beautiful on the planet, with biodiversity including multicolored fish, giant turtles, dolphins, and sometimes dugongs.

Dozens of dive centers offer daily outings, introductory dives for beginners, PADI training, or multi-day liveaboard cruises. In Soma Bay, for example, diving excursions are organized almost every day over an extended schedule. Some sites have become legendary, like the Blue Hole in Dahab, an impressive underwater sinkhole, or the drop-offs of the Ras Mohamed National Park near Sharm El-Sheikh.

Kitesurfing, Windsurfing, and Board Sports

The Red Sea coast is also highly popular for wind-powered board sports. Kitesurfing and windsurfing find ideal conditions in lagoons like El Gouna, Nabq, Safaga, or certain areas of Soma Bay. The wind is regular, the sea protected by reefs, ensuring both safety and enjoyment.

Schools have specialized in these disciplines and cater to a clientele ranging from complete beginners to experienced riders. “Kite safaris,” week-long boat cruises dedicated to kitesurfing, allow for back-to-back sessions at remote spots. For tourists and locals alike, these sports have become staples of active vacations.

On the Nile and in Parks: Kayaking, Rowing, Strolls

The Nile itself is a unique playground. In Cairo, in Maadi or Dokki, clubs offer kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, or rowing, sometimes in the form of structured academies. This allows for practicing a rowing sport in the heart of the city while enjoying a different perspective on the capital.

Further south, in Aswan or Luxor, the practice takes on a more contemplative dimension. Felucca rides – these traditional sailboats – are a flagship activity. While they fall more under leisurely strolls than intense sport, they are nonetheless physical for the crews and constitute an iconic experience for travelers.

In and around Cairo, certain urban parks, like Al-Azhar Park or the Wadi Degla reserve, are popular for walking, jogging, cycling, or climbing. These green spaces play a crucial role in climate regulation in a city prone to heatwaves. They offer city dwellers a healthier environment for their physical activities, as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of heatwaves.

Tradition, History, and New Practices

One fascinating aspect of sports to play in Egypt is the coexistence of very ancient practices and extremely modern disciplines. The country likes to remind us that some of the oldest traces of athletic activities in the world come from Memphis, at the end of the 4th millennium BCE. Wrestling, boxing, swimming, archery, and javelin throwing were already part of the games of the ancient Egyptians.

Traditional Sports and Ancient Heritage

Some ancestral practices survive today, sometimes in a modernized form. Tahtib, for example, is a martial art based on the use of a stick, once used to settle disputes or for combat training. It is still practiced in some regions, notably Upper Egypt, often during popular festivals.

Falconry, which involves training birds of prey for hunting, is part of a broader tradition in the Middle East and North Africa, and remains associated with a certain art of living. As for belly dancing (raqs sharqi), it is often considered a form of artistic expression, but it also represents a demanding physical activity practiced by many women.

New Trends: Padel, Street Soccer, Pole Fitness

Simultaneously, new disciplines have appeared in recent years. Padel, a racket sport derived from tennis and squash, is developing rapidly. Dedicated courts are springing up in affluent Cairo neighborhoods, in Giza, and in coastal resorts. Its fun, social, and relatively accessible nature makes it a sociable sport.

More unexpected practices, like pole fitness (a sporty version of pole dancing), are finding their audience in some studios in the capital. They contribute to broadening the field of possibilities, especially for an urban female audience seeking new sports experiences.

To give an overview of the diversity of sports practiced in Egypt, another way to classify them is to group them by main environment:

Sport, Society, and Gender: Women Gaining Ground

The rise of sport in Egypt is accompanied by complex social evolutions, particularly concerning female participation. Research shows that women athletes still face obstacles related to the patriarchal structure of society, segregation of public spaces, norms of femininity, and religious discourse. Certain practices, especially those considered “masculine,” can provoke criticism or hostility when pursued by women.

In 2016, weightlifter Sara Ahmed became the first Egyptian woman to win an Olympic medal in real time, with a bronze in the -69 kg category. A few months later, Abeer Abdelrahman was retroactively promoted to the bronze medal from the 2008 Games following doping disqualifications of other competitors, making her the first Egyptian female Olympic medalist in history, and the only one to date to also hold a silver medal. In 2020 in Tokyo, Feryal Abdelaziz won the country’s first female Olympic gold medal in karate.

In clubs and gyms, this evolution translates into slots reserved for women, ‘ladies’ days’ at the pool, group classes specifically for women, but also a slow normalization of mixed-gender activities in certain spaces, particularly in affluent neighborhoods. Dress codes remain conservative on the street, but texts recall that there is no official code imposing a particular sports outfit on women; the general recommendation is rather “decency,” interpreted variously depending on the milieu.

Climate, Urban Planning, and the Future of Sports Practice

Playing sports in Egypt involves dealing with an extreme climate. The country is one of the driest in the world, with barely a few dozen millimeters of rain per year on average, exclusively concentrated on the Mediterranean coast. The rest of the territory, especially the south and interior areas, receives almost no precipitation.

Average annual temperatures are around 72.5°F (22.5°C), but this data masks very high peaks. On the Red Sea and in the south (Aswan, Luxor), summer averages easily exceed 104°F (40°C). Nights can remain hot, and winds like the khamsin, blowing in spring, can raise temperatures by over 36°F (20°C) in a few hours, while bringing dust and sand.

Concretely, this means more and more activities must be planned early in the morning or late in the evening, hydration must be monitored, and event organizers must have emergency plans for heatwaves or sandstorms. Some international competitions, like marathons or cycling races, are already adapting their schedules or strengthening their heat management protocols.

The state has furthermore inscribed adaptation to climate change in its national strategies, whether the Climate Strategy 2050, adaptation plans submitted to the UN, or projects funded by the Green Climate Fund aimed at protecting the Nile Delta and the northern coast. While these policies are not solely about sport, they nonetheless influence future conditions for practice, especially in coastal areas threatened by erosion and rising sea levels.

A Sports Mosaic in Full Expansion

Egypt thus presents itself as a true sports mosaic. Soccer reigns supreme, structuring evenings, fueling discussions, occupying a significant part of the media space. But behind it unfolds a constellation of disciplines that, each in their own way, reflect the country’s history, geography, and social transformations.

Simultaneously, issues of gender, climate, stadium safety, and access to infrastructure show that Egyptian sports development is not linear. Women are gaining visibility but still face strong resistance. The climate makes some practices more difficult but also pushes for rethinking urban planning and schedules. Stadiums are filling up again, but the shadow of past violence continues to loom.

Cyril Jarnias

Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.

On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.

Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.

Find me on social media: