Why African Teams Failed to Reach the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Knockout Stages

• Briefly News spoke exclusively to a football journalist, Brighton Bafana, to analyse the performance of the African teams that fell short at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
• Bafana pointed to the failure of the African clubs at the tournament to several factors, including last-minute coaching changes, tactical confusion, and failure to manage key moments
• Bafana reiterated that the tournament exposed Africa’s potential, but also its unpreparedness on the global stage

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup may have come to an end for Africa, with Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance, and Wydad Casablanca all falling to progress to the knockout stages. But while the results didn’t go their way, the performances told a different story: one of resilience, growth, and undeniable potential.

Briefly News had an exclusive chat with renowned football journalist, Brighton Bafana, to analyse the performance of the African teams and break down some lessons that can be learnt for the future.

Where did it go wrong for African clubs?

Bafana spoke about the coaching changes before the tournament:

"You can’t enter a tournament of this magnitude with a new man on the touchline and expect instant magic. It’s like changing the pilot mid-flight; you're asking for turbulence. Sundowns, Al Ahly, Wydad... they all looked like teams trying to remember who they were."

Mamelodi Sundowns represented South Africa at the tournament and started on a positive note with a win over Ulsan Hyundai, but lost their next game against Borussia Dortmund before settling for a draw against Fluminense. According to Bafana, fatigue worked against Masandawana as they had barely rested after the CAF Champions League final.

"Sundowns came into this with tired legs and heavier hearts following that CAF final. You could see the emotional weight in their body language. And yet, they fielded the same core XI, that’s suicidal in modern football where margins are microscopic."

The Egyptian giants Al Ahly, who had recently recruited former Orlando Pirates gaffer, Jose Riveiro, failed to carry their African dominance to the world stage when they collapsed against Porto:

"That game was Al Ahly’s to lose, and they lost it, not because they were outplayed but because they forgot how to manage moments. Game management isn’t flair or tactics, it’s a survival instinct at the highest level. And they didn’t have it."

African clubs were poorly prepared

Bafana also spoke in much depth on some African clubs who struggled with the finer details:

"At this level, small mistakes look huge. A poor back pass, hesitation in the box, misreading a new rule, these are the things that kill dreams. In Africa, we get away with them at home. On the global stage, we get punished."

Mamelodi Sundowns ' goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, made history at the tournament, albeit for the wrong reasons. He became the first goalkeeper to be given a yellow card for wasting time - a new FIFA rule which took effect from the tournament.

"The Ronwen Williams incident? That was a wake-up call for the entire continent. We can’t claim to be professional if we don’t even brief our players on FIFA rule changes. That’s basic, and it cost us."

Bafana underscored the need for African clubs to better start their processes early in the future, instead of last-minute preparations.

"Look at Fluminense. Stability, identity, and trust in their system. They didn’t panic. Meanwhile, our top teams went shopping for solutions weeks before kickoff. That’s not building, that’s gambling."

What lessons can Africa take from the tournament?

With none of the African clubs able to progress to the knockout stages, there is an awful lot the continent can learn and aim to improve next time.

"This tournament wasn't a failure. It was a mirror. And when African football looks into it, we need to ask: Are we here to compete, or just to participate? Because right now, the world sees promise , but not presence."

Mamelodi Sundowns dance for the world in defeat

Briefly News previously reported that the staff and players of Mamelodi Sundowns danced in front of the world at the Hard Rock stadium. This action was met with criticism by unhappy fans who believed it was inappropriate.

Source: Briefly News