From TP Mazembe to Mamelodi Sundowns: Africa’s quest for FIFA Intercontinental Cup glory

Mamelodi Sundowns will carry Africa’s hopes of a first FIFA Intercontinental Cup triumph when they host Asian champions Al Ahli in Pretoria on Saturday.

The South African club enter the tournament at the second-round stage as the reigning CAF Champions League winners and will face Al Ahli for a place in the final stages of the competition. FIFA confirmed that the match will determine the winner of the African-Asian-Pacific Cup and the team that advances to the next phase.

Al Ahli secured their meeting with Sundowns by beating Auckland FC 1-0 in Jeddah on August 26, with Saleh Abu Al Shamat scoring the decisive goal in the 63rd minute.

The Saudi Arabian side, who won the AFC Champions League Elite, will provide a significant test for Sundowns as they attempt to improve on their only previous appearance in the competition.

Sundowns looking to rewrite 2016 story

Sundowns first featured in the global club competition in 2016 after winning the CAF Champions League.

Their campaign ended with defeats in both matches. They lost 2-0 to Japan’s Kashima Antlers in the second round before suffering a 4-1 defeat to South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the fifth-place play-off.

Their return comes after a decade in which the club have established themselves among Africa’s leading sides. Sundowns won their second CAF Champions League title in 2026, defeating Morocco’s AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate in the final.

They will now attempt to go beyond their previous sixth-place finish and keep Africa’s hopes of a first title alive.

Mazembe and Raja came closest

No African club has won the FIFA Club World Cup or its Intercontinental Cup successor.

TP Mazembe came closest in 2010 when they became the first African side to reach the final, only to lose to Inter Milan. Three years later, Raja Casablanca also reached the final before Bayern Munich ended their run.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly have provided the continent with another consistent presence, finishing third four times, most recently in 2023.

African clubs have accumulated 61 matches in the competition since its inaugural edition as the FIFA Club World Championship in 2000. They have recorded 20 wins, seven draws and 34 defeats, scoring 78 goals and conceding 98.

Africa gaining ground against Asia

Sundowns will also draw confidence from Africa’s recent record against Asian opposition.

African clubs have won their last four meetings with Asian teams and are unbeaten in their last eight, recording seven victories and one draw during that run.

That sequence includes Pyramids’ 3-1 victory over Al Ahli last year.

Despite the recent improvement, Asia still hold the advantage in the overall head-to-head record, with 12 wins to Africa’s eight.

PSG await in the final

Victory over Al Ahli would send Sundowns into the latter stages, where they could face either Toluca or the eventual 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores champions in the FIFA Challenger Cup.

The winner of that encounter will then meet European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Intercontinental Cup final. PSG are the defending champions after beating Flamengo on penalties in last year’s final.

For Sundowns, Saturday’s clash therefore represents more than another international fixture. It offers another opportunity for an African club to move closer to a trophy that has so far remained beyond the continent’s reach.