The 2024/25 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League has reached a fever pitch, with the semi-final lineup guaranteeing electrifying encounters between the continent’s football giants. For the first time in the modern era of this prestigious competition, both South Africa and Egypt will boast two representatives each in the final four, setting the stage for captivating North African versus Southern African battles.
Record-holders and reigning champions, Al Ahly of Egypt, are relentlessly pursuing their 13th title after dispatching Sudan’s Al Hilal with a comfortable 2-0 aggregate victory. Their quest for continental supremacy will now be challenged by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. “The Brazilians” edged out Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis 1-0 over two legs in a fiercely contested quarter-final, adding another chapter to their burgeoning modern rivalry in African football. This semi-final clash is laden with history, as Sundowns have proven to be a formidable opponent for the Egyptian giants in recent years, even inflicting a historic 5-0 defeat on Al Ahly in 2019. Their recent encounters in the African Football League also suggest a tight and tactical affair is on the cards.
On the other side of the bracket, Orlando Pirates secured their long-awaited return to the CAF Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2013. A resolute defensive display in the second leg against MC Alger in Johannesburg, culminating in a goalless draw, was enough to see them through 1-0 on aggregate, thanks to their away victory in Algiers. The “Buccaneers” now face a history-making Pyramids FC. The Cairo-based club reached this stage for the very first time despite a 2-0 second-leg loss to Morocco’s FAR Rabat, their emphatic 4-1 first-leg triumph proving decisive in a 4-3 aggregate win. This sets up an intriguing semi-final as Pirates, a former champion aiming for their third final appearance, lock horns with a hungry Pyramids side eager to etch their name in African football history.
The semi-final first legs are scheduled for April 18th and 19th, 2025, with Orlando Pirates hosting Pyramids FC and Mamelodi Sundowns welcoming Al Ahly SC. The return legs will follow on April 25th and 26th, 2025, where the Egyptian sides will have the home advantage. Football fans across the continent are bracing themselves for these high-stakes encounters, promising drama, tactical brilliance, and the unwavering passion that defines African club football. The victors will then proceed to the two-legged TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Final, set to be played in May and June, where the ultimate champion of Africa will be crowned.
