Posted in Features, News on Nov 27, 2025.
Kaizer Chiefs and Zamalek will meet again in CAF competition for the first time in over 32 years when they clash at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on 29 November, with kick-off at 15h00.
Chiefs began their Group D campaign with a 2-1 away loss in Egypt against Al Masry, while Zamalek started with a 1-0 home win over Zesco United of Zambia.
Chiefs’ loss to Al Masry in their opening group game ended a nine-game unbeaten streak in regulation time, comprised of four wins and five draws.
Both teams currently lie fourth in their domestic leagues; Chiefs have 22 points after 11 games and trail league leaders Sundowns by three points, having played a game less. Zamalek have played 12 league games this season and are on 22 points, 7 behind leaders, Ceramica Cleopatra, who have played a game more.
In all competitions, Zamalek have lost only one of their last eight games, a 2-0 loss to Al Ahly in the Egyptian Super Cup Final on 9 November.
Reacquaintance
The sides met over two legs in the second round of the 1993 African Cup of Champions Clubs in the first-ever meeting in CAF competitions between teams from South Africa and Egypt.
The first-leg at the FNB stadium in Johannesburg ended in a 2-1 win for Chiefs, with Lucas Radebe converting a 44th minute penalty and Eric September scoring Amakhosi’s second in the 56th minute. Zamalek scored a crucial away goal in the 72nd minute through Ayman Mansour.
In the second-leg in Cairo, Zamalek would win 1-0 through a 14th minute goal from Mansour and progress to the next round on away goals, with the aggregate scores tied at 2-2. The Egyptians would go onto be crowned African Champions that year.
This is Chiefs’ second home game against Egyptian opponents in CAF competitions. In addition to their 1993 win over Zamalek, they drew 0-0 against Ismaily in a 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup, first-leg game. Zamalek are facing South African opponents for a 13th time in all CAF competitions; they have won five games, drew one and lost six.
In six away games against South African clubs in CAF competitions, Zamalek have lost four games, drawn one and won just one game, 2-1 against Orlando Pirates in the group stages of the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup.
Zamalek’s biggest loss against South African opponents was a 4-1 away loss to Orlando Pirates in the 2013 Champions League Group Stages.
Zamalek last faced South African opponents in the quarterfinals of last season’s CAF Confederation Cup, drawing 0-0 away in the first-leg, and then losing 1-0 at home in the second leg against Stellenbosch.
Zamalek’s only other win in South Africa was in the 1994 CAF Super Cup, a 1-0 triumph over their rivals Al Ahly at the FNB Stadium, with Mansour scoring in the 86th minute.
Zamalek are five-time African Champions League Winners, and also have two CAF Confederation Cup titles, plus one CAF Cup Winners Cup Title.
Zamalek are the first team Chiefs will have faced in African competition in two different centuries.
Chiefs are undefeated at home against Egyptian teams. In addition to their 1993 win over Zamalek, they drew 0-0 with Ismaily in 2001.
Past Meetings: Kaizer Chiefs v Zamalek:
1993 African Cup of Champions Clubs (Now CAF Champions League) Second Round
First-Leg: FNB Stadium Johannesburg, 16 May 1993, Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Radebe pen, September) Zamalek 1 (Mansour 72’)
Second-Leg: Osman Ahmed Osman Stadium Cairo (Arab Contractors Stadium), 30 May 1993, Zamalek 1 (Mansour 14’) Kaizer Chiefs 0
Aggregate 2-2 - Zamalek wins on away goals
Amakhosi aim to maintain home form in Polokwane
Amakhosi will be playing a CAF tie in Polokwane for the first time.
Polokwane becomes the fifth different South African city in which Chiefs will be playing a home game, joining Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Gqeberha and Durban.
The New Peter Mokaba Stadium is the 10th stadium in which Chiefs will be hosting a CAF competition game, joining venues such as the Rand Stadium, FNB Stadium, Ellis Park, Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg Stadium, Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Olympia Park, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Kaizer Chiefs have only ever lost one CAF home game played outside of Johannesburg, winning seven such games. They have played a total of 8 home games outside of Johannesburg.
In the 2000 CAF Cup first round first-leg game against Mbabane Highlanders, Chiefs won 5-2 at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenburg, while in the 2001 CAF Cup Winners Cup semifinal first-leg, a Thabo Mooki brace saw Chiefs to a 2-0 a win against Club Africain of Tunisia at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.
Across town at Olimpia Park in Rustenburg, Chiefs won games against AS Port Louis of Mauritius, USJF Rajivnala of Madagascar and Esperance of Tunisia, in the preliminary, first and second rounds of the 2005 CAF Champions League, respectively.
Amakhosi played a game in the 2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round game outside of Johannesburg, defeating Zinamoto of Zanzibar 4-0 in the first-leg at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
Chiefs also played a 2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup first-round first-leg game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, where they defeated ASSM Elgeco Plus, 3-0.
Chiefs only loss in a CAF home game outside of Johannesburg was a 1-0 defeat against Raja Casablanca in the 2015 CAF CL First round 1st leg game.
Chiefs are presently undefeated in seven home games in CAF continental competition (W4 D3).
In the current CAF Confederation Cup, Chiefs have won both of their home matches, defeating Kabuscorp of Angola 1-0 in the second-leg of their first preliminary round clash and then beat AS Simba 3-1 in the second-leg of their second preliminary round clash.
In Chiefs’ only other group stage appearance in CAF competition, the 2020/21 CAF Champions League, they did not lose any of their home group games, winning two games and drawing one, by defeating both Petro Atletico and Wydad Casablanca 1-0, and drawing 0-0 with Horoya.
