While Zamalek club called for heavy support in their match at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab on Sunday in the African Champions League final, heavy security measures were undertaken to decrease the risk of stadium violence.
"If you don't have a ticket, you will just be exhausting yourself trying to get near the stadium," Zamalek Chairman Mortada Mansour said in a presser held in his office at the club on Wednesday.
Five-time Champions League holders Zamalek need to overcome a 3-0 first-leg deficit against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa to gain their first African title since 2002.
"Ticket pricing starts from just 20 Egyptian pounds and after coordinating with the Interior Ministry and Army...[it was decided that] nobody will be allowed within two kilometres of the stadium without a ticket. Am I clear?"
Ahram Sports reported that fans are angry, having found it difficult to get tickets as hundreds gathered around the club's headquarters in Cairo on Thursday.
Early this week, the club made an emotional pitch to their fans on Facebook, urging attendance at the final's second leg. Their online followers number 5.5 million, and the post generated thousands of interactions.
The game marks the largest number of club fans to be allowed in the Egyptian stands since the Port Said stadium crisis that left 73 Ahly fans dead in clashes with Masry fans in 2012.
After three years of season cancelations, attendance bans at domestic tournaments and occasional minimal attendance at continental games, another tragedy hit Egyptian football, leaving 20 Zamalek fans dead.
The Cairo Air Defense stadium crisis broke out on 8 February 2015 when police used teargas to disperse a crowd of fans attempting to enter a league match with ENPPI "without tickets."
The disaster came amid Mansour's first attempt to curb attendance at domestic matches, which antagonized the club's hardcore fan group, Ultras White Knights.
Mansour said that 70,000 supporters will be allowed to attend Sunday's game at the 86,000-seat venue.
Zamalek's last appearance in the African final was in 2005 when they were ousted from the semis by arch-rivals Ahly.
Sundowns, who are eyeing their first African title, reportedly complained to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Thursday, refusing to hold trainings in the venue provided at Borg El-Arab because "it is not suitable for trainings."
