Sundowns Aim to End North African Grip on CAF Super Cup
South Africa's Sundowns will face Algerian side USM Alger as they look to halt a nine-year streak of North African triumphs in the CAF Super Cup. A victory would secure a third title for South Africa, moving the country into joint third on the all-time list of winning nations. Both clubs enter the weekend fixture with the opportunity to become two-time champions of the competition.
Sundowns will attempt to end years of North African dominance in the CAF Super Cup when they take on Algeria's USM Alger this weekend. North African teams have historically controlled the tournament, claiming 24 of the previous 34 editions, and have won every single title since Sundowns were crowned champions nine years ago.
A win for the Pretoria side would mark South Africa's third title in the competition, following their own previous triumph and Orlando Pirates' victory in 1996. Kaizer Chiefs are the only other South African club to have featured in the decider, having finished as runners-up to Al Ahly in 2002. Lifting the trophy would move South Africa into joint third place on the list of winning countries alongside Tunisia and DR Congo, behind Morocco with five titles and leaders Egypt with 14.
Across 34 editions since the competition was introduced in 1993, only 18 different clubs from nine nations have won the trophy. Côte d’Ivoire’s Africa Sports claimed the inaugural title by overcoming Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca on penalties.
Egypt's Al Ahly remain the most decorated club in the competition's history with eight titles from a record 12 final appearances. Their domestic rivals Zamalek hold five titles and boast the best record among sides with at least five appearances, having won five of their six finals. DR Congo's TP Mazembe sit third on the all-time club list with three titles, earned in 2010, 2011, and 2016.
Both Sundowns and USM Alger are aiming to join two-time winners Étoile du Sahel of Tunisia, Raja Casablanca of Morocco, and Nigeria's Enyimba. USM Alger achieved their solitary title three years ago in 2023, defeating an Al Ahly side that included Percy Tau by a 1-0 scoreline in Saudi Arabia.
Throughout the competition's history, several teams have secured back-to-back honours, including Enyimba in 2004 and 2005, TP Mazembe in 2010 and 2011, and Al Ahly across two separate periods, in 2006–2007 and 2013–2014. Al Ahly also won both editions staged in 2021—held following schedule disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—under the stewardship of Pitso Mosimane. Most recently, Egyptian club Pyramids were crowned champions last year following a 1-0 win against Moroccan outfit RS Berkane, having qualified after defeating Sundowns in the 2024/25 CAF Champions League final.