Al Ahly won the Egyptian Cup winners for a record-extending 39th time on Friday
* South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Tunisia’s Esperance eyeing other slots of the Mundial de Clubes FIFA
* All four are in the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League quarterfinals
* Alongside TP Mazembe, ASEC Mimosas, Simba, Petro de Luanda and Young Africans
Maravi Express
The race is on for African clubs to secure the remaining places at FIFA’s new 32-team club world cup tournament — the Mundial de Clubes FIFA — which makes its debut in the United States in 2025.
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Two of the continent’s four qualification spots have already been claimed by last year’s CAF Champions League winners, Al Ahly of Egypt and runners-up, Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca.
Al Ahly booked their ticket by virtue of winning the 2022/23 editions of Africa’s premier club competition while Wydad qualified after their 2021/22 CAF Champions League triumph under the tutelage of the history-making coach Walid Regragui.
The two remaining African berths will go to the winners of the current 2023/24 Champions League campaign and the highest-ranked side based on FIFA’s club coefficient rankings.
South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia are the only two clubs still in contention to claim that rankings spot should Al Ahly win this season’s CAF Champions League.
Mamelodi Sundowns are also the 2023-2024 African Football League champions
But they will have to wait to see who lifts the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League trophy, with Al Ahly safely through to the quarter-finals once again.
Whatever happens, African football can look forward to a strong quartet of representatives at the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA in just over a year’s time.
Meanwhile, Al Ahly were crowned Egyptian Cup winners for a record-extending 39th time after goals from Imam Ashour and Mohamed Afsha secured a 2-0 victory over bitter rivals Zamalek in Friday’s final in Riyadh.
Mamelodi Sundowns, who are the 2023-2024 African Football League champions, are also in the quarterfinals of the 2023-2024 CAF Champions League alongside TP Mazembe of the DR Congo, ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire), Simba (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Esperance (Tunisia), Al Ahly (Egypt) and Young Africans (Tanzania).
Mamelodi and Petro de Luanda are representing Confederation of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) and of the eight teams that have qualified, three are yet to taste continental success with Al Ahly having won 11 titles, TP Mazembe (5), Esperance (4), Asec Mimosas (1) and Mamelodi Sundowns (1).—Reporting by CAFonline
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