Sundowns’ new signings miss FIFA Intercontinental Cup deadline

Mamelodi Sundowns will be without their three latest recruits when they host Al Ahli in Saturday’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup tie, with the South African side aiming to keep African football’s winning run in the competition alive.

FIFA’s published squad list shows that Deano van Rooyen, Thabang Matuludi and Thabo Cele were not registered for Sundowns’ participation in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

The registration deadline was 5 September, before any of the three players had joined the club at Chloorkop. Van Rooyen signed on 6 September, while Cele completed his move on 10 September and Matuludi followed on 11 September.

That timing has left coach Miguel Cardoso unable to select the new arrivals for the African-Asian-Pacific Cup final against Asian champions Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia in Pretoria on Saturday, 19 September.

The match offers Sundowns the chance to win a FIFA trophy and progress to the Challenger Cup. The winner will face the victor of the FIFA Derby of the Americas between Concacaf champions Toluca and the CONMEBOL Libertadores winners.

The Challenger Cup winner will then meet Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.

Sundowns qualified after winning the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26. They defeated Morocco’s AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate to secure their second continental title and collect a record USD 6 million CAF prize.

Al Ahli reached the Pretoria fixture by beating Auckland FC 1-0 in Jeddah.

Sundowns targeting a third African success

African clubs have won the African-Asian-Pacific Cup in each of the competition’s first two editions. Al Ahly claimed the title in 2024, before Pyramids FC followed in 2025 with a 3-1 victory over Al Ahli in Jeddah.

Sundowns now have the opportunity to make it three consecutive African winners under the new FIFA Intercontinental Cup format.