Mamelodi Sundowns set sights on FIFA Club World Cup

The world football governing body will now expand the 2025 edition to 32 teams, with four coming from Africa.

Following their 1-0 win over TP Mazembe in the CAF Champions League this weekend to finish top of Group A, the Downs mentor believes their impressive run so far in the continental tournament edges them closer.

READ: Sundowns finish top of Champions League group with victory over TP Mazembe

"It gives us points for the Club World Cup, it gives us confidence going into the knockouts and it also makes sure that we continue what we are doing which is to try to win every single game that we play. So, very proud of the players and they deserve a lot of praise and credit for the top, top performance," Mokwena said.

Sundowns are the third highest ranked side behind Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca, who are already guaranteed their spots at the Club World Cup as winners of the previous two Champions League titles.

The Brazilians can qualify by winning the tournament this year or holding on to that ranking, as Mokwena explains why this is one of the targets for the Chloorkop outfit.

"It's the club's ambition, the club wants to be not only one of the best teams on the African continent but of course from the global perspective and the reach is unbelievable,” Mokwena added.

“I mean I spent some time in Brazil, in the offseason or during the break [AFCON break] in early parts of Jan and what we've done is incredible because you go to Brazil they speak, 'Ow, you're the Sundowns coach' and the first thing they talk about is the type of football we play.”

Sundowns’ only ever appearance at the Club World Cup was under then coach Pitso Mosimane in Japan 2016 on the back of winning the Champions League a few months earlier – with Mokwena as his assistant.

The appetite is much bigger now.

"At almost every single club, you go to Fluminense, they ask 'How do you get the team to play like that'. You go to Flamengo, you go to Vasco [da Gama S.a.f.], Botafogo and they say 'Unbelievable', it's incredible. So, if the team has that type of reach only based on the performance on the pitch, you can just imagine once we scale into the club World Cup space how much potential this football club has."