The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said on Tuesday that up to 20,000 fans will be allowed to attend the second leg of the African Champions League final between Zamalek and South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns in Alexandria. The EFA said they were given the go-ahead by security officials, who have the final say over fan attendance in home football matches, to allow a limited number of supporters to attend the anticipated clash at the 86,000-seat Borg El-Arab Stadium on 23 October. Zamalek face Sundowns in the first leg in Pretoria on 15 October. The news will disappoint the Cairo giants, who hoped their fans would fill one of Africa's biggest venues. "The Egyptian interior ministry will allow 20,000 fans to attend the Champions League final," Egyptian FA president Hani Abou-Reida told a TV programme on Tuesday. "However, we will ask them to increase this number to give more support to the Egyptian representative." A crowed ban has been re-imposed in Egypt since February 2015 when 21 of Zamalek fans died in a stampede after being tear-gassed by security forces before the start of a league game against ENPPI at the Air defence stadium in Cairo. Since then, the ban has been partially lifted in continental matches featuring Egyptian clubs as well as the games of the national team. Zamalek are eyeing their first African crown since lifting the last of their five Champions League trophies in 2002.
