Mahmoud El Khatib, Al Ahly’s president, has laid the foundation stone of Al Ahly Stadium on Saturday in Sheikh Zayed City in the presence of some of the nation’s respectable figures.

Speaking soon after he laid the foundation stone, El Khatib presented the details of the steps which were taken to establish the stadium, starting from creating the idea, reaching to taking the needed executive procedures to start the implementation of the project.

“The dream started on 5 August 2005 after we managed to have the Sheikh Zayed City's land. Then, the second step was the issuing of Ministerial Resolution No. 254 which was announced on 31 December 2009 which allowed us a construction rate of 5%. ''

“This construction rate included the establishment of the halls, the stadium, and administrative buildings. We received the ministerial decision to establish the stadium, but we only obtained the approval to start the construction with a specific height of 6 meters, which means that we have to drill down 30 meters, the thing that is very expensive ”.

“We held a meeting with the Urban Communities Authority of Egypt, to explain the matter for them. Then, the work proceeded according to the laws and regulations and we managed to reach 30 meters in height. "

"Finally, I would like to thank the Egyptian State for its efforts, as it solved many obstacles by issuing this resolution."