Mamelodi Sundowns are set to receive a staggering R900 million for their participation in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, an event that promises to showcase the best clubs from around the world. The tournament, running from June 14 to July 13 this year, will feature elite clubs, including the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Al Hilal, and, of course, Sundowns, representing South Africa and Africa.
Before a single match is played, each club in the tournament will be handed a generous sum of $50 million, which translates to roughly R937 million. This massive financial boost could open up exciting possibilities for Sundowns, particularly in terms of signing new players for the upcoming 2025/26 season. With this kind of windfall, they could bolster their squad further, making them an even stronger contender on the global stage.
Sundowns’ management made waves in the PSL when they made the surprise decision to part ways with head coach Manqoba Mngqithi, despite the team sitting at the top of the league table. The announcement sent shockwaves through South African football, but the club moved quickly to appoint Miguel Cardoso as their new coach. His arrival was followed by an immediate focus on getting the team into even better shape.
Cardoso, eager to make his mark, expressed his plans for the squad, emphasizing the importance of technical quality and a style of play that he believes suits the team’s strengths. “We have to study the team and the players, and it’s clear that the players we have are technically well-developed,” Cardoso said. “They suit a style of play where the coach imposes his philosophy on the game. The base is having quality players who can execute that vision.”
He continued, explaining his philosophy: “I want a team that can control games. To control games, the team must be solid in all four moments of play. We must understand not only what to do with the ball but also how to move the ball and manipulate the opponent to create attacking spaces.”
Cardoso also stressed the importance of intensity and aggression when losing the ball. “When teams play against Sundowns, we need to understand the spaces on the pitch—how to create them, utilize them, and attack them effectively. And when we lose the ball, we need to be aggressive in winning it back immediately. I prefer players to make a quick effort to recover the ball within three or four seconds, rather than sitting back, reorganizing, and defending before going forward again.”
With Sundowns now receiving significant financial backing and undergoing strategic changes under Cardoso, the question arises: is this situation fair to the PSL? The massive financial resources available to Sundowns from the FIFA Club World Cup, combined with the club’s apparent ability to attract top-tier talent, could further widen the gap between them and other PSL clubs. This disparity might create concerns about competitive balance in the domestic league. While Sundowns’ success on the continental and global stage is a point of pride for South African football, the question remains whether their financial dominance could negatively impact the overall competitiveness of the PSL in the long run.
Sundowns’ participation in the FIFA Club World Cup marks an exciting chapter for the club and South African football as a whole. However, how they navigate their newfound wealth and the potential squad improvements will be crucial in determining how it affects both their domestic and international ambitions.
