How Qodah’s Local Tournament Became a Football Phenomenon

On the famous El Gezira dirt pitch in Qodah, a village in Sharqia’s Kafr Saqr district, an annual football tournament has become something of a local holiday. Amid roaring crowds and fierce competition, the Qodah Professionals Tournament brings eight-a-side football to the village, drawing professional players, Premier League referees and spectators from across Egypt.

In an exclusive interview with SceneSports, Ahmed Ismail Farag, Head of Qodah Youth Centre, takes us behind the scenes of this grassroots phenomenon, tracing how a modest local competition has grown into a tournament that attracts professional players, boosts the local economy and offers promising young talents opportunities to train in Europe.

How did the Qodah Tournament begin?

The idea was first introduced by Mohamed Mohamed Morsi Hussein, who chaired the youth centre’s board in the 1980s. The tournament initially featured just eight teams.

Over time, it expanded to include neighbouring districts, with the late Tarek El Omda, a former head of the centre, playing a major role in its growth and popularity.

Are there any football traditions associated with the tournament?

We always kick things off with a Super Cup match between the previous edition’s champions and the host village’s team, Qodah, or between the two finalists from the previous edition.

When does the tournament usually take place?

The tournament traditionally begins at the start of summer and concludes around the October Victory celebrations. This year, however, we pushed the schedule back slightly to accommodate the agenda of Minister of Youth and Sports Gohar Nabil.

How many teams are competing in the 2026 edition, and does participation extend beyond Sharqia?

This year saw exceptional interest, with 183 teams applying to participate. Following the preliminary selection process, 84 teams qualified for the tournament.

During the opening stages, we hold two matches per day before moving to single-match fixtures in the later rounds. Each match lasts 40 minutes, divided equally between two halves.

Geographically, this year’s edition features teams representing 15 governorates. We have also received applications from other countries, including Morocco and Sudan.

What can fans expect from the 2026 final, and what preparations are underway?

The final is scheduled to take place between November 1 and 5, bringing together Qodah and Mira. Minister of Youth and Sports Gohar Nabil is expected to attend, alongside the governor and several political and parliamentary figures.

The third-place play-off has already seen a decisive victory for Nogoum El Ghaba, who defeated Meet Bashar 5-1.

We are putting in three consecutive days of intensive work to prepare the pitch and the main VIP stand. We are also setting up dedicated spectator stands around the ground for the final.

Qodah last won the tournament in 2023, while last year’s title went to El Noaman, who defeated Nogoum El Ghaba on penalties.

How do you attract professional and international players to compete on dirt pitches?

Several participating teams represent major companies and institutions. Given the tournament’s reputation and high level of competition, these organisations recruit star players and international professionals to represent their teams.

The organisers are not directly involved in recruiting these players.

With such large crowds and passionate supporters, how do you maintain order?

We coordinate officially with the security authorities to ensure the tournament is properly secured.

However, the real key is the awareness and culture of the supporters. This tournament represents an entire village rather than any one individual, and everyone works together to ensure it reflects well on the community.

Our fans appreciate good football and genuinely love the game.

The tournament’s clips have gone viral in 2026. How did you approach this expansion in media coverage and organisation?

This year, the tournament benefits from a comprehensive sponsorship structure.

Sponsors provide professional refereeing teams, oversee live broadcasting and filming, contribute prizes and arrange for a fully equipped medical team to handle emergencies on the pitch.

How are the tournament’s organisational, refereeing and commentary teams structured?

The operation is highly organised, with responsibilities divided among specialised committees covering media, refereeing, fixtures and scheduling, and pitch supervision.

Every match is assigned a full refereeing team, while sponsors arrange for Premier League referees to officiate major fixtures.

For commentary, we work with talented voices such as Ibrahim El Nashawy, Reda Abdel Samie and Amin Youssef.

For major matches with particularly large crowds, we bring in prominent commentators, including Ayman El Kashif and El Ghayati.

What are the biggest challenges you face each year, and how do you navigate them?

If a death occurs within the village, we immediately suspend the competition out of respect for the residents and their families.

On some occasions, we have also had to continue matches without using the stadium’s public-address system.

The tournament has grown beyond football to become an economic driver for Kafr Saqr and its surrounding areas. What impact has it had?

The village experiences a significant increase in commercial activity, with shops seeing more customers and cafés filling up with visitors and supporters.

Transport services also become busier as people travel to watch the matches. This creates a wider commercial and social buzz throughout the tournament.

How does the tournament help showcase emerging talent and support young players’ careers?

We have reached an agreement with one of our sponsors to select the most promising young players who stand out during the tournament and give them the opportunity to undertake football training placements in Europe.

Have any players progressed from the tournament to professional clubs?

Yes, this has happened. However, their moves have not necessarily been to clubs in the Egyptian Premier League. Some have joined teams competing in the Professional League, Egypt’s second tier.

There are some administrative challenges involved, as the tournament’s schedule occasionally coincides with the start of the official league seasons, which can complicate the process.

What prizes are awarded to the top four teams?

The tournament's cash prizes are distributed as follows:

- First place: The tournament trophy and EGP 50,000.

- Second place: EGP 25,000.

- Third place: EGP 20,000.

- Fourth place: EGP 10,000.