On 1 February 2012, a massive riot occurred at Port Said Stadium in Port Said, Egypt, following an Egyptian Premier League football match between Masry and Ahly. Seventy-four people were killed and more than 500 were injured after thousands of Masry spectators stormed the stadium stands and the pitch following a 3–1 victory by their team, and violently attacked Ahly fans using clubs, stones, bottles, and fireworks, trapping them inside the El Ahly partition of the stadium. Many of the deaths were due to the police's refusal to open the stadium gates, trapping the Ahly fans inside, leaving some to die, and killing others in a stampede to escape. Civil unrest and severe clashes continued until 11 February, but general strikes ended on 13 February. Riots erupted in Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez. Police fired tear gas at protesters, thus clashes erupted on the streets due to battles of tear gas. Unrest calmed and ended on 13 February.

Seventy-three defendants, including nine police officers and two officials from Port Said's Al-Masry club, were charged in the aftermath of the riots. As of 15 November 2015, 26 defendants were acquitted including seven police officers and an Al-Masry club official. Of the 47 convicted, 11 were sentenced to death, ten received 15-year prison terms, nine received 10-year sentences, sixteen received 5-year sentences including two police officers and an Al-Masry club official, and one received a 1-year sentence. The Court of Cassation upheld the sentences on 20 February 2017.

As a result of the massacre, the Egyptian government shut down the domestic league for two years, which affected the Egyptian national team.