Miguel Cardoso set for 100th Mamelodi Sundowns game against Al Ahli

Mamelodi Sundowns’ FIFA Intercontinental Cup meeting with Al Ahli on 19 September will be a landmark occasion for head coach Miguel Cardoso, who is set to take charge of the Tshwane club for the 100th time.

The match, scheduled for 15:00 at Loftus Versfeld, has been confirmed by FIFA and will bring Cardoso’s time in charge of the CAF Champions League holders into three figures.

The Portuguese coach has currently overseen 96 matches since taking the Sundowns job. His route to the century will include league fixtures against Golden Arrows, Siwelele and Chippa United before Sundowns face the Saudi Arabian club.

Cardoso’s first game came on 15 December 2024, when Sundowns played Raja Casablanca only days after his appointment. Since then, he has guided the club to the league title and, most importantly, the CAF Champions League crown.

That continental triumph secured Sundowns’ place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where they will now meet the AFC Champions League holders in a match carrying significant consequences for both sides.

Cardoso’s tenure has come amid the usual criticism directed at a high-profile coach, with opinions ranging from the extreme to the reasonable. However, he has kept his focus on the job, while Sundowns’ results have provided the strongest response.

The match against Al Ahli will be staged as the African-Asian Pacific Cup. Both teams will receive medals, but the winners will also claim a trophy and progress to the next stage of the competition.

Victory would send the winner into the Challenger Cup, where they will face the winners of the Derby of the Americas. That match will feature CONCACAF champions Toluca and the CONMEBOL winners. The winner of the Challenger Cup will then advance to the final, where PSG await.

Al Ahli represent a formidable challenge for Sundowns, having won the AFC Champions League. The Saudi Arabian side therefore stand between the African champions and a possible meeting with the European champions.

The fixture will be refereed by Switzerland’s Sandro Scharer. He will be assisted by Stephane De Almeida and Jonas Erni, with Anojen Kanagasingam appointed as fourth official.

Fedayi San will take responsibility for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), assisted by Alessandro Dudic.

The Intercontinental Cup match will also represent the longest period Cardoso has spent in one managerial position. Before joining Sundowns, he did not complete a full year in any of his previous five jobs at Esperance, during his second spell with Rio Ave, at AEK Athens, Celta Vigo or Nantes.

His 100th Sundowns match will therefore mark both a personal milestone and another major test for a side seeking to measure itself against the holders of Asia’s premier club competition.