page_title: History of Zamalek SC
section_title: Early years, Qasr El Nile Club (1911–1913)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Zamalek SC / Early years, Qasr El Nile Club (1911–1913)
caption_attribution_description: العربية: جورج مرزباخ أول رئيس لنادي الزمالك
context_page_description: Zamalek Club, an Egyptian club founded in the beginning of the twentieth century under the name of the Nile Palace Club because it was occupying the current place on the island, Marzbach was the club president and head of mixed courts in Egypt, the first president of the club, in the year 1913 the club moved to A second headquarters at the intersection of 26th of July Street and the current Ramses in the place of buildings and his name changed to mixed because he had several nationalities between his flanks, either from his members or his players, then his name changed again to Farouk Club and that was in 1942 when The King of Egypt, King Farouk, attended the historic Egypt Cup final match between Zamalek and Al-Ahly, and Zamalek defeated Al-Ahly 6-0, which caused him to ask the Minister of Warship, and the club president at that time to change the club's name to and take over Ismail Bey Sherine from The family of Muhammad Ali is the vice president of the club. With the revolution of July 23, 1952, the name changed a third time to its final name, which is Zamalek.
context_section_description: Little is known about the very early years of the club. According to historians, the club was established by the Belgian lawyer, George Marzbach Bey. On the twenty-fifth of December 1910, Marzbach Bey, while attending Cairo Tramways Company’s Christmas celebration, realized that the company's guest house hosting the celebration on the Nile banks is suitable as a sports club headquarters. Marzbach Bey then decided to establish a new club for the Belgians, Egyptians, and foreigners. During that time, Gezira Sporting Club, the main sporting club in Cairo, was for the exclusive use of the British Army and unavailable for non-British foreigners and Egyptians. Marzbach Bey left the Christmas celebration with a strong intention to establish the new club in the very place, which is currently occupied by Qasr El Nile casino and the Navy House. For the new club, he chose the name Qasr El Nile, which means Nile Palace. He did not find difficulties to establish the club as he enjoyed strong ties within the Palace of Khedive Abbas II, as well as many friendships with senior officials of the Egyptian society. He was also the private lawyer for both Baron Empain and his Cairo Tramways Company. On January 5, 1911, the club was established, and it was officially opened on February 6. The first board of directors consisted of Marzbach Bey as president; 
   Howard Carter, the great archaeologist and Marzbach Bey's personal friend, as vice president; and Noah Amin Abdullah, Ahmed Mahmoud Azzam, Khoury Chalhoub (Lebanese, representative of the Cairo Tramways Company), and Paolo Esposito (Italian, representative of the Khedivial Palace) as members. It was the first club in Cairo to emerge from non-English expatriate communities. They formed sports and social clubs, each with its own identity. An essential aspect of the club was that it was for all people and not for any specific social, economic, or ethnic community. It started out and continued through World War I under the presidency of Marzbach.
caption: George Marzbach