The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed heavy fines on Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance de Tunis following violent fan clashes during their CAF Champions League quarter-final on April 1. The incident occurred during the first leg in Pretoria, South Africa, and involved breaches of security protocols and crowd violence. Sundowns, owned by CAF president and FIFA vice-president Patrice Motsepe, was fined $100,000 for failing to ensure adequate safety measures during the match. CAF emphasized that the South African club must strictly follow all safety regulations in future matches, particularly during the upcoming semi-final clash against Al Ahly of Egypt.
Esperance received a heavier fine of $150,000 for fan misconduct, including clashes in the stands during the same fixture. Despite the controversies, Sundowns advanced to the semi-finals after securing a 1-0 win in Pretoria and drawing 0-0 in the return leg in Tunis. Both teams have qualified for the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place from June 14 to July 13 in 11 U.S. cities. They earned their places through strong CAF Champions League performances between 2021 and 2024.
