Having won the won the 2016 CAF Champions League, 2017 CAF Super Cup and were voted the 2016 CAF Club of the Year, the Brazilians will be keen to get a healthy advantage at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria before the return leg final scheduled for June 30 Stadium in Cairo, on Saturday, June 1st.
Having already conquered the South African domestic scene with an unprecedented eighth consecutive league title, Sundowns have shifted all focus to bringing home the biggest prize in African club football.
Sundowns concluded their league campaign with a 2-0 victory on Sunday night when they hosted Magesi FC at Loftus Versfeld. Lucas Ribeiro was the hero of the night as his brace saw the team record their 15th victory in their backyard. They won the title with 78 points, accumulated from 24 wins, one draw and three defeats.
Sundowns’ closest challengers Orlando Pirates came second with 59 points, though they still have two matches in hand. For Pyramids, they arrive for the first leg sitting second in the Egyptian Premier League with 53 points, while former African champions Al Ahly are ahead of them with 55 points.
When is Sundowns vs Pyramids and how can you watch?
The first leg final clash will be played on Saturday, May 24th, at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, South Africa at 16:00 local time and will be live across all CAF’s broadcast partners, including, beIN Sport, Canal+, SuperSport, SABC and several other global platforms.
Loftus Versfeld Stadium is situated in the suburb of Arcadia, city of Pretoria in the Gauteng province of South Africa, and can accommodate 51,762 spectators. The stadium is the home ground of the Bulls franchise of the United Rugby Championship, Blue Bulls union in South Africa's Currie Cup and Mamelodi Sundowns.
In June 2010, the stadium, which is located at an altitude of 1,350m above sea level, hosted opening round games and one game of the round of 16 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Sundowns vs Pyramids head-to-head
In the history of the competition, the two teams have faced each other two times, with Sundowns winning once and the other ending in a draw. The first meeting was in 2023, during the group stages of the competition.
In the fixture at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, no side was able to break the deadlock as the match ended in a 0-0 draw. They met again in the return leg at 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo where Sundowns emerged winners after a 1-0 win.
Teboho Mokwena’s goal in the 17th minute off a cross from Lucas Ribeiro was enough to hand Sundowns the away win and maximum points. Sundowns' journey to the final saw them ease past Raja Casablanca, Maniema, and AS FAR Rabat to finish strongly in their group.
In the quarter-finals, they were drawn to face Esperance of Tunisia under new coach Miguel Cardoso following the exit of Manqoba Mngqithi, who had guided them past the group stages. Sundowns won the first leg 1-0 in South Africa and travelled to Tunis where they secured a 0-0 draw to advance to the semis on a 1-0 aggregate win.
In the semis, they were drawn to face champions Al Ahly in a two-legged affair with the eyes set on the final. In the first leg at Loftus Versfeld, Sundowns drew 0-0 against the North Africans but they edged the final on the away goals rule following a 1-1 draw in the return leg at Cairo International Stadium.
For Pyramids, who were drawn in Group D, the Egyptians had to navigate a tricky draw with the likes of Esperance, Djoliba, and Sagrada. Despite some turbulence - including a 2-0 defeat to Esperance in Tunisia and a frustrating 0-0 draw with Djoliba - they rallied impressively to qualify from the group.
They earned sweet revenge on Esperance in Cairo with a 2-1 win, dismantled Djoliba 6-0, and secured progression with a key away win against Sagrada. Pyramids finished the group stage with 10 points from six matches, showing resilience and maturity when it mattered most.
Pyramids were handed AS FAR Rabat in the quarter-finals, and lost the first leg 2-0 away in Rabat, but they overturned the result with a 4-1 hammering, to advance on a 4-3 aggregate win. Their next opponent was Orlando Pirates of South Africa, and they held firm for a 0-0 draw in the first leg, and back in Egypt for the return leg, they triumphed 3-2 to reach the final.
Sundowns want to make Champions League history
According to Sundowns midfielder Aubrey Modiba, the South African giants are determined to beat Pyramids in the two-legged affair and lift the trophy.
“It’ll be great for us because we really want to make history in this club as players,” said Modiba as quoted by CAFOnline. “We always want to win big trophies and the last one I played in with SuperSport United, you know, it was our first one and we didn’t have much experience actually, and we saw how we fell short in that game.”
Modiba added: “Right now, I think having played so many CAF Champions League games at Sundowns…we understand what it takes to be able to reach the final and try and win it.
“It’s been eluding us for so many years. So, I think right now we’re on the right track. We just have to make sure that we do well on both legs. But you know, firstly at home, I think we’ll need to do well at home.”
CAF unveil ‘new look’ trophy for Champions League
On Thursday, May 22nd, Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled a new Champions League trophy together with partners TotalEnergies, marking a bold new chapter in the legacy of Africa’s premier club competition.
The unveiling took place at TotalEnergies’ South African Headquarters in Johannesburg and was attended by some of African football legends including Lucas Radebe, Teko Modise and Siphiwe Tshabalala as well as several African football leaders. As part of CAF’s broader strategy to rebrand and elevate its Competitions, the new design was conceived to amplify the visual impact of African football’s most coveted prize.
Speaking during the ceremony, CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba said: “In line with the vision of the CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, we are rebranding and repositioning African football with a special focus on interclub competitions at the moment.
“This CAF Champions League trophy reflects our goals and bold steps toward an exciting African club football environment. With this, we aim to elevate the stature of African club competitions to global prominence, strengthen our commercial appeal, and inspire a new generation of footballing talent.”
According to CAF, the new trophy draws inspiration from the fierce competition and rich cultural heritage of the continent, the trophy features sleek silver and gold lines, symbolising unity, rivalry, and the competitive balance that defines the tournament.
At its peak, the golden sphere – embellished with African symbolism – represents the ultimate prize: victory. The interplay of contrasting silver and gold elements celebrates both the triumph of champions and the honour of worthy opponents, reinforcing the spirit of respect, ambition, and excellence that underscores African football.
Either Sundowns or Pyramids will make history when they lift the new trophy during the return leg final on June 1st.
