No club can deny airing the Cairo derby live, insists Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) chief Osama Al-Sheikh. The vehement response comes in the wake of Ahli's official threat not to allow the Egyptian TV to broadcast the match due to a financial dispute. But it seems that the threat has hardly fazed ERTU, who are confident that the biggest local match in the country will be shown on TV. "These types of matches with high attendance have a broader aspect than just being a sports event," ERTU chief Al-Sheikh said.
"It is related to the national security, so basically no club in Egypt can stop the Cairo derby from being aired live. "ERTU is doing a favor for the Egyptian fans and it will keep on doing it." It has never happened that a Cairo derby was not broadcasted live on TV. The match, featuring Egypt's top duo Ahli and Zamalek, usually witnesses around 70,000 fans at Cairo Stadium.
