A riot outside a major football match in Egypt has killed at least 25 people, authorities have said.

The Egyptian Football Premier League has been suspended indefinitely following the clashes.

The violence preceded a game between Egyptian Premier League clubs Zamalek and ENPPI at the Air Defense Stadium east of Cairo.

Security officials, speaking anonymously, said some people died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police.

They claimed Zamalek fans tried to get into the game without tickets, sparking clashes.

However, a group of Zamalek fans known as White Knights posted on Facebook that violence started because the authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in.

They said this sparked pushing and that police fired tear gas and birdshot.

The group later posted pictures it claimed were of dead fans and the names of 22 people it said had been killed.

One witness said: "We were inside the stadium when the clashes began outside.

"There was a police car on fire and they were shooting birdshot and tear gas.

"The people fled into the desert to escape."

At least another 25 people were wounded.

The Egyptian Premier League has been suspended indefinitely, the prime minister's office said in a statement that accused fans of attacking police and trying to storm the stadium.

The state prosecutor has ordered an investigation into the violence.

It said fans had blocked a road to the stadium and torched three police vehicles.

Despite the trouble, the match continued, sparking further anger among fans.

Previous troubles meant fans have only recently been allowed at matches again.

The Interior Ministry planned to let only 10,000 fans into the ground, which has a capacity of approximately 30,000.

The deadliest football riot in Egyptian history happened three years ago during a match between Port Said's al Masry and Cairo's al Ahly.

A total of 74 people, most of them al Ahly fans, were killed.

Originally published at 19.50, February 8th