Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League Title Moves South Africa Ahead of Nigeria in All-Time Rankings

Mamelodi Sundowns’ second CAF Champions League triumph has reshuffled the continental rankings, lifting South Africa above Nigeria in the all-time title count for the first time.

The Pretoria-based club claimed the 2026 title after eliminating Moroccan side AS FAR Rabat 2-1 on aggregate. Sundowns secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg before holding Rabat to a 1-1 draw in the away fixture to seal the championship — their second continental crown in ten years, having previously won the competition in 2016.

With that victory, South African clubs now hold three CAF Champions League titles in total. Orlando Pirates were the first South African side to lift the trophy, winning it in 1995. Sundowns have since added two more in 2016 and 2026, giving the country a combined tally that now exceeds Nigeria’s.

Nigeria’s two titles were both won by Enyimba during consecutive campaigns. The Aba-based club defeated Ismaily of Egypt in 2003 to claim the country’s first Champions League crown, then beat Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel the following year to retain the title. No Nigerian club has reached the final since those back-to-back victories over two decades ago, while South African clubs have appeared in the final three times and won on two occasions.

The shift in rankings underscores a broader trend on the continent. Egypt remains the most successful nation in the competition’s history with 19 titles, with Al-Ahly accounting for 12 of those alone. Morocco occupies second place with nine titles, while DR Congo and Tunisia are tied on six each.

Algeria and Cameroon have each won the competition five times. Ghana, Guinea, and South Africa — following Sundowns’ latest success — sit on three titles apiece. Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are the remaining countries with multiple titles, each having won the competition twice.

Sundowns’ latest achievement also marks a significant moment in the club’s recent continental history. Having gone a decade between their first and second titles, the Brazilians — as the club is known domestically — will be expected to use this momentum heading into future editions of the competition. Their consistent presence in the latter stages of the CAF Champions League in recent seasons has established them as one of the premier clubs in African football.

For Nigeria, the milestone represents a sobering moment. The country’s football establishment has long pointed to Enyimba’s 2003 and 2004 victories as the benchmark for domestic clubs, yet no side has come close to replicating that success at the continental level in the intervening years. The absence of a Nigerian finalist in over two decades raises structural questions about the development and competitiveness of clubs in the Nigeria Premier Football League on the continental stage.