While protests are rocking cities across the US, Florida is about to be the epicentre of football. The biggest FIFA Club World Cup ever kicks off Sunday, June 15 with 32 of the best teams from around the globe.
Among them, four of Africa’s top teams : Al Ahly (Egypt), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia) and Wydad AC (Morocco). Here’s what they’re up against and what they might just pull off.
Al Ahly
Al Ahly have been reigning over African football for decades and go into the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as the most decorated team on the continent. They parted ways with head coach Marcel Koller in April after falling short in the CAF Champions League semi-finals but this is still a team that knows how to win.
Theyscored gives them just a 29.2% chance to make it out of the group stage (the highest of the African teams), so they are Africa’s biggest hope as of now. Al Ahly’s biggest strengths are their experience, tight-knit squad and long history of showing up when it matters.
New coach José Riveiro has brought fresh energy and with that leaders like Ashour, Mohamed “Afsha” Magdy and El-Shahat, the experience and quality are there. But their recent Champions League exit and coaching change raise questions, so naturally, consistency will be key.
With 12 CAF Champions League titles and more domestic trophies than they can count, Al Ahly are chasing a new kind of glory.
They’re in a tough group with Inter Miami, they will play Palmeiras on June 19 and Porto on June 23. But still, they have a navigable path to the knockout stages. They will open the competition playing in the first game of the tournament against Inter Miami this Saturday, June 14, 2025, at 8pm ET at Hard Rock Stadium.
Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns enters the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as the best sub-Saharan African team having won eight South African Premiership titles in a row. Even if the local rivalry is tough, coach Rhulani Mokwena has created a well-disciplined and organised team.
The attention should mostly be on goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who had his breakout performance at AFCON in 2023 and was nominated for the Yashin Trophy in 2024. Experts call Sundowns one of the most organised African teams, thanks to Mokwena’s clever tactics and defensive focus.
With 15 league titles and a 2016 CAF Champions League win under their belt, they’ll rely on playmaker Themba Zwane and striker Peter Shalulile to lead the way. The big question: can they convert domestic dominance into results on the world stage? Theyscored gives them just a 19.2% chance to make it out of the group stage.
They’ll play Ulsan Hyundai on June 17, Borussia Dortmund on June 21 and Fluminense on June 25.
Espérance Sportive de Tunis
Espérance Sportive de Tunis head into the 2025 Club World Cup as Tunisia’s most successful club, and they’re carrying North Africa’s hopes with them. With four CAF Champions League titles and over 30 league wins, including this year’s, they’re no strangers to pressure or big moments. But they’ve landed in what might be the toughest group of an African team: Group D with Chelsea, Flamengo, and LAFC.
Analysts see Espérance as a good team , organized, deep and dangerous on the counter under coach Maher Kanzari. Star winger Youcef Belaïli, back in form with 13 goals and 13 assists in 24 games, could be the key. That said, this group is the toughest one for an African team. Theyscored gives them just a 14.1% chance of advancing — the lowest of the four.
It will be a huge task and they will have to be at their absolute best, but they’ll look to rely on experience and structure to shake things up. It all starts Monday, June 16, against Flamengo, then LAFC on June 20, and Chelsea on June 24.
Wydad AC
Wydad head into the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as Morocco’s most decorated club and one of Africa’s most consistent teams in recent continental football. With 22 Botola Pro titles and three CAF Champions League trophies, they know what it takes to play on the big stage. They’re not favourites but with their pedigree and defensive solidity, they’re a team Group G can’t ignore.
It’s a tough draw: Manchester City, Juventus and UAE’s Al Ain. All three have deep squads and big game experience so it’s going to be a real test. Even so, Wydad’s ability to be compact, control the tempo and threaten on set pieces could cause problems if they’re underestimated. Theyscored gives them just a 23.2% chance of advancing to the group stage.
They may not have global names but players like El Habti and Yahya Jabrane bring leadership and calmness. Wydad’s strength has always been the collective and in a tournament like this, that can go a long way.
Their group stage kicks off Wednesday, June 18, against Manchester City, followed by Juventus on June 22, and Al Ain on June 26.
