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B04
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The expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup is due to kick off in the United States next week but which African sides have impressed the most at the tournament?
Four African teams will be among the 32 set to square it out at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that kicks off on June 14 in the United States.
Focus shifts to the expanded 32-team tournament following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season and from Africa, Egyptian giants Al Ahly, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance of Tunisia and Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco will be flying the continent’s flag.
No African team has ever won the FIFA Club World Cup since it was founded 25 years ago when just seven teams, six being winners of the various confederations and one from the host country, were taking part, but there have been some impressive results by some of the continent’s representatives.
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FIFA Club World Cup: 3 Best Performances By An African Team
TP Mazembe
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DR Congo giants TP Mazembe were the first African team to make it furthest in the tournament when they reached the final in 2010.
In fact, no team outside Europe had reached the tournament’s final by then but Mazembe broke that duck when nobody expected them to go that far.
Mazembe started by knocking out Mexican side Pachuca in the quarter-final to make it to the semi-final in the United Arab Emirates where they took on Brazilian side Internacional.
For many, this was a formality for the Brazilian side but they were so wrong. At a stadium packed with Internacional fans, Mazembe pulled off one of the greatest upsets of the tournament as they stunned the Brazilian side 2-0 to reach the final.
That was history as in 30 attempts, the final had been contested by European teams. Mazembe lost the final 3-0 to Italian giants Inter Milan but they had already made their mark.
Raja Casablanca
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Morocco’s Raja Casablanca equaled TP Mazembe’s feat three years later when they reached the 2013 final.
With the tournament played in their country Morocco, Raja did not disappoint, having qualified for the as the winners of the Moroccan top flight.
They started by beating Auckland City of New Zealand 2-1 in the first round to make it to the quarter-final where a 2-1 extra-time victory over Monterrey of Mexico saw them make it to the semis.
Few expected Raja to get over Atletico Mineiro of Brazil in the semi-final. However, they recorded a big victory, beating the Brazilian side 3-1, to make it to the final against the odds.
Raja would lose 2-0 to Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich in the final but they had already won the hearts of home fans.
Al Ahly
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Egyptian giants Al Ahly make the list not for reaching the final but for winning the most medals and their consistency.
Al Ahly have been to the Club World Cup 10 times, the second-most in the tournament’s history, and have won bronze four times, having finished third in 2006, 2020, 2021 and 2023.
In their last tournament, they beat Japanese giants Urawa Red Diamonds 4-2 in the third-place playoff in December 2023, their fourth straight appearance in the match, and with their experience and pedigree, few can rule them out in 2025.