Top Historic Rivalries in African Club Football

Rivalries are bound to exist in events involving two parties. Some rivalries in African football have divided families, ignited cities, and spawned legends.

The points on a table don’t really matter when rivals meet, since it is more about pride and legacy. Sport Blot discusses the major rivalries that exist in African club football in this piece.

Cairo Derby: Al Ahly vs. Zamalek

The Cairo Derby, which sees two Egyptian giants go against one another, is arguably the biggest football rivalry in Africa. Zamalek and Al Ahly have lengthy histories with games that are as much about social and political identity as they are football.

The rivalries between the two African teams originated in the early 20th century, precisely in 1907, when Al Ahly was founded. Al Ahly grew to become a symbol of Egypt’s fight against colonialism. From 1917 to date, their matches have been intense.

Zamalek, on the other hand, was more of a foreign initiative, as it was said to be a British club. In 1936, King Farouk, who ruled Egypt and Sudan, openly backed Zamalek.

Statistics

Their first match in 1917 saw Al Ahly triumph over Zamalek in a 1-0 win in the latter’s home stadium. The two clubs met three weeks later, and Zamalek took home the victory in a 1-0 win at Al Ahly’s stadium.At the time of writing, Zamalek and Al Ahly have met 130 times in the Egyptian league, with 51 of those meetings ending in a draw. Al Ahly has won 50 times while Zamalek has a total of 29 wins.

In the Egypt Cup, Al Ahly has defeated Zamalek 17 times and lost 11 times in 33 games. Five of their meetings have ended in a draw.

Zamalek is yet to manage a victory over Al Ahly in the Egyptian Super Cup, losing 4 times in 9 matches. Also, Al Ahly has an all-time victory against Zamalek in the CAF Champions League, with a total of 4 wins in 9 matches.

In total, the Egyptian clubs have played 231 matches; Al Ahly has won 99 matches, while Zamalek has won 53 matches, with 79 draws between them.

Soweto Derby: Kaizer Chiefs vs. Orlando Pirates

This fierce Soweto derby between the two renowned African football clubs, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, dates back to January 24, 1970. The Soweto derby has become one of the most anticipated fixtures, attracting a large fan base.

He discovered a great deal of internal strife within the Pirates' hierarchy when he got home. 

He made the decision to create a Kaizer XI, which at first played friendly games against different South African clubs before changing its name to the Kaizer Chiefs.

Statistics

Since their inception, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs have faced each other in 143 official matches. Kaizer Chiefs have won 74 times, while Orlando Pirates have won 50 matches, with 19 draws between them.

The most recent meeting between these two titans occurred on May 3, 2025, when Orlando Pirates defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in a Premier Soccer League match. 

The Nedbank Cup final, which is set for May 10, 2025, promises to be another exciting chapter in their legendary rivalry.

Tunis Derby: Club Africain vs. Espérance de Tunis

Club Africain and Espérance de Tunis have a bitter rivalry in the capital of Tunisia. Their first official derby took place on March 23, 1924 and was won by Club Africain in a 3-0 victory against Espérance de Tunis.

The games are known for their fierce on-field combat and fervent fan support.

Statistics

As of May 2025, Club Africain and Espérance de Tunis have squared off 205 times in official matches. Espérance de Tunis marked their place with the most wins, with 87 in total, while Club Africain have won 53 times. The clubs have 65 draws between them.

The most recent meeting took place in a Tunisian Ligue 1 match on April 20, 2025, when Espérance de Tunis defeated Club Africain 3-1.

Algiers Derby: MC Alger vs. USM Alger

The Algiers Derby, which is a match between Algeria’s titans MC Alger and USM Alger, is the oldest club football derby in the country. The first match between the two clubs was in 1940, with MC Alger emerging victorious.

Statistics

MC Alger and USM Alger have had a total of 117 official matches. MC Alger has come out with the most matches won (45). USM Alger, on the other hand, has won 32 of these games, and 40 matches have ended in a highly entertaining draw.

Their last meeting was on January 24, 2025, where MC Alger defeated USM Alger 3-0 in the Algerian league.