CONFIRMED: Downs in line for FIFA trophy and already guaranteed medals plus memento plaque

Mamelodi Sundowns are already warming up for another trophy before they even play in the MTN8 final in October. Photo: Gallo Images.

Aug 31, 2026 – 11:22 am
By Lovemore Moyo

Mamelodi Sundowns will receive medals in September regardless of how they fare in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

As CAF Champions League holders, Sundowns will come up against Saudi Arabian giants Al Ahli – the winners of the 2025/26 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.

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That match will be at Loftus Versfeld on September 19, classified as Match 2 (M2), and will play out as the African-Asian-Pacific Cup.

The winner of that match will play either 2026 CONCACAF Champions League winners Toluca FC or the yet-to-be-determined 2026 Copa Libertadores champions to determine who then meets Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

Rewards for participating clubs

According to Article 51 of the Regulations for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026:

“A souvenir plaque will be presented to each participating club. Participation certificates will be presented to each member of each official team delegation.

“Medals and trophies will be presented to the teams as follows:

M2, M3 and M4: gold medals and a trophy for the winners.
M5: gold medals and a trophy for the winners; silver medals for the runners-up.

“The winning Participating Club will receive a trophy.

“FIFA will issue, at a later date, Trophy Regulations.

“The winning Participating Club shall ensure its full compliance with these Trophy Regulations.

“At the conclusion of the competition, other special awards may be presented either at the awards ceremony or at a later date,” state the regulations released on Friday.

The regulations also clarify that single yellow cards and pending suspensions that could not be served during the confederation’s competition are not carried over to the Intercontinental Cup 2026.

This means Teboho Mokoena, Brayan Leon, Divine Lunga, Ronwen Williams, Arthur Sales and Keanu Cupido will all be clean.

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Sundowns is expected to submit an ‘extensive and realistic provisional list as possible of prospective players (at least two of whom shall be goalkeepers) for each match no later than 14 days before each match’.

With the match against Al Ahli on September 19, this must be done this week.