Ahly, Wydad set for Mundial de Clubes FIFA debut - Sundowns, Esperance eyeing other slots

The race is on for African clubs to secure the remaining places at FIFA's new 32-team club World Cup tournament - the Mundial de Clubes FIFA - which makes its debut in the United States in 2025.

Two of the continent's four qualification spots have already been claimed by recent TotalEnergies CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly of Egypt and Morocco's Wydad Casablanca.

Al Ahly booked their ticket by virtue of winning the 2022/23 editions of Africa's premier club competition.

Wydad, meanwhile, qualified after their 2021/22 Champions League triumph under the tutelage of the history-making coach Walid Regragui.

The two remaining African berths will go to the winners of the current 2023/24 Champions League campaign and the highest-ranked side based on FIFA's club coefficient rankings.

South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia are the only two clubs still in contention to claim that rankings spot should Ahly win this season's TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

But they will have to wait to see who lifts the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League trophy, with Al Ahly safely through to the quarter-finals once again.

Whatever happens, African football can look forward to a strong quartet of representatives at the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA in just over a year's time.