The Brazilians hold firm in Morocco to clinch a second CAF Champions League crown on aggregate, booking a place in the Intercontinental Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup 2029 and earning $6 million.
The South African giants claimed their second CAF Champions League title on Sunday night, absorbing a stirring Moroccan fightback at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat to seal a 2-1 aggregate triumph over hosts AS FAR and write a new chapter in the club’s history.
After arriving in Morocco with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, Mamelodi Sundowns faced strong pressure from AS FAR. Backed by their home fans, the Moroccan side controlled much of the first half and pushed hard for an equaliser.
Their breakthrough came in the 40th minute when a VAR review awarded them a penalty. Captain Mohamed Hrimat calmly converted the spot kick, making it 1-1 on aggregate and setting up a tense second half with the tie finely balanced.
AS FAR dominated much of the match and kept pushing for the goal that would win them the title. But Sundowns stayed calm, defended well, and resisted the constant pressure.
When the final whistle blew, the score on the night was not enough for AS FAR. Sundowns’ first-leg advantage saw them through on aggregate. After the heartbreak of losing last year’s final to Pyramids FC, the Brazilians returned determined to make amends and this time, they got the job done.
I dedicate this trophy to the fans who kept believing in us. The fans who kept pushing us they really deserve this trophy.” Head Coach Cardoso, Post-Match
An emotional head coach Cardoso spoke to the heart of what the night meant for everyone connected to the club.
It has been hard for my players and all the credit goes to them. I praise them for the work they have done. It has not been easy for them and for me,” he told reporters after the final whistle.
This was Cardoso’s third appearance in a CAF Champions League final, with previous campaigns ending in disappointment. The victory is his first at the summit of African club football, and his words in the aftermath carried the particular weight of a man who knows what it is to fall short.
The coach recounted an emotional scene from last year’s Cairo defeat that had galvanised the squad in the months that followed.
Last year I saw tears in my players, and a few of them, they knew we promised each other we would have tears, but they would be from joy, not sadness,” he said. “I think you will have in your mind Khuliso Modau standing on the side of the bench in Cairo on that match we played against Pyramids last year. I embraced him and told him, man, we are going to embrace next year.”
The triumph unlocks a remarkable series of rewards for the South African side. Sundowns will face TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup champions USM Alger of Algeria in the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup 2026, the annual showdown between Africa’s two premier club competition winners. The Brazilians won the Super Cup before, defeating TP Mazembe 1-0 in 2017, while USM Alger claimed the honour in 2023 at the expense of Al Ahly.
On the global stage, Sundowns earn a berth in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026, which assembles the continental champions from each of FIFA’s six confederations. Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and New Zealand’s Auckland City have already confirmed their participation. Sundowns, as African champions, will enter in the second round against the winner of the Al Hilal versus Auckland City fixture. The winner of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will also claim a slot in the prestigious tournament.
Beyond that, the Brazilians have secured qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup 2029, making a return visit to the world’s biggest club stage following their debut in the United States. The tournament is granted to the winner of the CAF Champions League in each year from 2025 to 2028. Sundowns’ second continental crown also delivers a financial windfall of six million US dollars.