African clubs fight for Champions League progress as Springboks take rivalry series to Baltimore

3 weeks ago EDITOR

JOHANNESBURG — African football’s club season intensifies this weekend as the second legs of the CAF Champions League preliminary round get under way, while South Africa’s Springboks travel to the United States aiming to complete a statement series win over New Zealand.

The first legs, played last weekend, produced a mix of away victories and tight contests. Egypt’s Pyramids FC claimed a valuable 2-0 win at Kenya’s Gor Mahia in Nairobi, while Zamalek of Egypt edged AS Port of Djibouti 2-1 on the road. Morocco’s Maghreb Fez delivered the most emphatic result, thrashing Burkina Faso’s Rahimo FC 4-1 at home. Orlando Pirates of South Africa were held to a goalless draw by Mauritius side La Cure Waves.

Those results set up a busy programme of return fixtures from Friday through Sunday. Pirates host La Cure Waves in Johannesburg knowing a win would send them through. Zamalek defend a slender lead against AS Port in Cairo, while Maghreb Fez travel to Ouagadougou with a three-goal cushion. Other notable ties include TP Mazembe against Ghana’s Medeama, Young Africans versus Gaborone United, and several matches involving clubs from Angola, Zambia, Sudan and Rwanda.

Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who lifted the trophy in May after beating AS FAR of Morocco, received a bye into the next round and have used the break to strengthen their squad. The Pretoria club recently signed midfielder Thabo Cele from rivals Kaizer Chiefs and continue to sit top of the Betway Premiership after a 3-0 midweek victory.

Elsewhere in the South African league, both Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have been active in the transfer market as they look to close the gap on Sundowns. Across the continent, attention is also turning toward AFCON 2027 qualifying, with some matches already facing venue changes due to stadium issues.

On the rugby field, the Springboks hold a 2-1 lead in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks. New Zealand won the opening Test 33-16 at Ellis Park, but South Africa responded with a 33-26 victory in Cape Town and a 29-24 win at FNB Stadium in Soweto last Saturday. The fourth and final Test takes place on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, home of the NFL’s Ravens.

A Springboks victory would give them the series 3-1. An All Blacks win would leave the four-Test contest tied at 2-2. South Africa have already secured the home-series honours, their first multi-Test series win over New Zealand on home soil since 1976. Wing Cheslin Kolbe will miss the Baltimore match after suffering a broken jaw in Soweto.

The fixture forms part of a commercial push by both unions and World Rugby to grow the game in the United States ahead of the 2031 Rugby World Cup. Kick-off is scheduled for Saturday evening local time.

In other sporting news, South Africa’s cricketers crushed Namibia in a one-day international, with opener Jordan Hermann matching a record for runs on ODI debut. Kenya’s national rugby sevens circuit reaches its climax this weekend, while Namibia’s women’s sevens programme received a significant funding boost.

African footballers also feature among the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with Senegal’s Sadio Mané and Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga among those recognised. Club football in Ghana and Nigeria continues to generate headlines around transfers, injuries and administrative issues as the new season settles.

This weekend’s CAF ties and the Baltimore Test represent the most prominent fixtures on the African sporting calendar, offering clubs a path toward group-stage riches and giving the Springboks a chance to close a historic series on foreign soil.