With five months to the opening ceremony, Africa’s representatives for the maiden FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Al Ahly (Egypt), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunis), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) and Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) are gearing up for the newly established tournament scheduled for 14 June – 13 July 2025 in the United States of America.
With the exception of Wydad; the three others were involved in the penultimate matches of the group stage of the CAF Champions Leagues over the weekend as they fine-tune for the 32-team global competition which will pit together the best clubs in the world.
African champions, Ahly returned to winning ways thanks to a second half hat-trick from striking sensation Emam Ashour in Abidjan against Ivorian newcomers Stade d’Abidjan to secure their place at the last eight.
The Egyptians will face off Inter Miami (USA) in the opening match of the tournament on 14 June 2025 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Their other Group A opponents are Palmeiras (Brazil) and Porto (Portugal).
Elsewhere in Bamako, Esperance stunned local favourites Djoliba with Elias Mokwana’s goal separating the two sides. Housed in Group D, the ‘Blood and Gold’ will open their campaign at the FIFA Club World Cup against Brazilian side Flamengo on 16 June 2025 in Atlanta. They will later face Chelsea (England) and Leon (Mexico).
South Africa giants Sundowns kept their hopes of a place at the knockout stage of the continental club championship with a hard fought 2-1 win over DR Congo side AS Maniema Union in faraway Kinshasa. For the FIFA Club World Cup, the “Brazilians” as the South Africans are nicknamed are housed in Group F alongside Fluminense (Brazil), Borussia Dortmund (Germany) and Ulsan HD (South Korea).
Their first game is against Ulsan HD on 17 June 2025 in Orlando before squaring Borussia Dortmund on 21 June 2025 and Fluminense four days later in Cincinnati and Miami respectively.
On the part of Wydad, lack of continental action saw themselves busy with a 2-1 win over lowly-placed Union Tourga in the Moroccan top flight. The reds sit in fifth place on 30 points, nine-shy of leaders RS Berkane.
As the clock ticks, the new FIFA Club World Cup has received endorsements from several quarters and many are looking forward to it. One of the familiar faces to have given thumbs to the competition is Ivorian legend and two-time CAF Player of the Year Didier Drogba, who insists the tournament will be a game changer for club football in the world.
“It (FIFA Club World Cup) will provide an opportunity for players coming from continents such as Africa where we don’t really see these teams at the biggest stage.
“(In Africa) we have talents but have problems with infrastructure. Being able to participate will help and with the support of FIFA to develop infrastructure and the local leagues. And this (FIFA Club World Cup) will be solving one of the problems”, Drogba told Goal Africa in an interview.
Thirty-two (32) teams drawn across the six confederations will take part in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup.
