With just three rounds remaining in the Tunisian Ligue 1 season, the race to determine which clubs will represent the country in next season’s CAF interclub competitions remains wide open.
According to the Tunisian Football Federation’s qualification rules, the top two teams in the final league standings will secure passage to the CAF Champions League.
Meanwhile, the third-placed team and the Tunisian Cup winner will gain entry into the CAF Confederation Cup.
However, if both league leaders also advance to the final of the Tunisian Cup, the Confederation Cup berth normally reserved for the cup winner will instead be awarded to the fourth-placed side in the league.
This stipulation places immense importance not only on league performances but also on the outcome of the domestic cup competition as clubs fight for a place on the continental stage.
As things stand after 27 matchdays, Espérance de Tunis and US Monastirienne are locked in a dead heat at the top, each boasting 59 points.
Etoile du Sahel remains within striking distance in third place with 57 points, while Club Africain and Espérance de Zarzis sit fourth and fifth respectively, on 53 and 50 points.
The tight grouping at the summit makes the final fixtures pivotal, not only in determining who lifts the league title, but also which teams will secure continental qualification.
For Espérance de Tunis and US Monastirienne, maintaining their current positions would see them book their spots in Africa’s premier club competition.
Etoile du Sahel, currently in third, would then qualify for the Confederation Cup — unless they or one of the top two also lift the domestic cup.
That potential overlap means Club Africain, currently fourth, could still claim a place in the Confederation Cup, depending on the final cup pairings.
Espérance de Zarzis, in fifth, remain outsiders, though a surge in form and favourable cup outcomes could still open the door.
With high stakes on both league and cup fronts, Tunisian football fans can expect a dramatic conclusion to the season, as the nation’s best clubs jostle for the honour of flying the flag in African competition.
