Miguel Cardoso makes plea to PSL, SAFA after FIFA triumph

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has made a plea to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the South African Football Association (SAFA) after clinching the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup over the weekend.

The Brazilians beat the back-to-back Asian champions Al Ahli SC of Saudi Arabia 2-1 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, with Nuno Santos netting a brace, while Ronwen Williams scored an own goal.

Sundowns, as a result, will square off against the winner of the FIFA derby of the Americas between Toluca FC and the Copa Libertadores champions in the next stage of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup for a meeting against Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

With games expected to come thick and fast after the FIFA international break, Cardoso is braced for the fixture congestion as they look to compete for major honours on all fronts.

“All matches will be tough, there's a long month ahead of us, two months, not only with the MTN8 final but also then with the qualification for the Champions League group stages, which will be a tough one. The draw was not really friendly,” said the Downs mentor.

"And then we have also the CAF Super Cup to play and in the middle of all that we have to place ourselves in the championship obviously in the best way we can. So, a lot of challenges.

The Portuguese tactician is expecting some of their fixtures to be postponed owing to their FIFA commitments, and has called for collaboration between Sundowns, the PSL, and SAFA, in a bid to stake their claim at the highest level.

“There will be matches that have to be rescheduled obviously considering that we're going to go for the next stages of the Intercontinental Cup,” Cardoso added.

"So, my only appeal is obviously that we come together - club, SAFA, PSL, the responsible people, understand where we are competing, the way we are putting the name of the country and the continent in the highest level so that we can obviously find the best possibilities for us to be able to perform on the different level and nothing more than that.

Notably, Sundowns became the third African side to lift the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup, following in the footsteps of Egyptian clubs Al Ahly and Pyramids FC, who won the trophy in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Hlayisani Magoro

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Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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