Mamelodi Sundowns travel to Morocco to defend a 1-0 advantage over AS FAR Rabat in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final. The match is set for broadcast across more than 100 countries and carries significant financial rewards. The champions receive a record $6m plus an additional $500,000 opportunity through the CAF Super Cup. The winner also earns at least $9.5m tied to 2029 FIFA Club World Cup qualification. Sundowns previously earned $12.5m at the 2024 World Club Championship, including participation and performance bonuses. Coach Miguel Cardoso faces pressure after losing the last two finals, while AS FAR and Sundowns both have prior African titles.
"Mamelodi Sundowns will defend a 1-0 lead over Moroccan hosts AS FAR Rabat on Sunday in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final in a match that will be broadcast in more than 100 countries. It is also a game that has Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso under pressure, having lost the last two finals, and who is now leading the team into the most valuable club match staged in African football history."
"The aggregate winners of the marquee African club competition pocket a record $6m plus the chance to bank a further $500,000 by winning a CAF Super Cup match. On top of that, whichever club is crowned champions at the 70,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is set for a minimum $9.5m payout as 2029 FIFA Club World Cup qualifiers."
"Sundowns were among four African entrants at the first edition of the world club championship in the United States last year and returned home $12.5m richer. Apart from the $9.5m participation fee, they pocketed an additional $2m for beating Ulsan of South Korea and $1m for drawing with Fluminense of Brazil."
"Portuguese Cardoso has taken clubs to the last two Champions League finals, only to fail with Esperance of Tunisia in 2024 and Sundowns last season. No coach has reached three consecutive Champions League finals and lost them all since the competition debuted in 1964. Portuguese Manuel Jose guided Al Ahly of Egypt to four straight title deciders from 2005 and won three."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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