An Egyptian court on Sunday took a step toward imposing the death penalty on 11 men for involvement in deadly soccer stadium violence in 2012, a televised session showed.

The judge referred the sentencing to Egypt's Grand Mufti, the country's most senior religious authority, a step towards the death penalty, which could be imposed at a later court hearing on May 30.

The Grand Mufti's decision is not binding but referral is needed in order to impose the death sentence.

Seventy-four people died in the Feb. 1, 2012 riot that followed a match between the Port Said home team Al-Masry and Cairo's Al-Ahly club. Port Said supporters were blamed for most of the violence.