CAFCL Final History ‘Favours’ Downs After First Leg Win

History is on Mamelodi Sundowns' side in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final, having won the first leg against AS FAR Rabat.

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Sundowns claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the first leg of the Champions League final in Pretoria, courtesy of an Aubrey Modiba free-kick.

The slender advantage, which could have been more in Masandawana's favour, means they head to Morocco with history on their side, while the Royal Army will have it all to do at home.

In the 62-year history of the competition, 57 finals have been played as a two-legged affair. Teams that have lost the first leg of a two-legged final have only gone on to win the tournament on 11 occasions, a measly 19% success rate.

Ivorian side Stade d'Abidjan were the first to do so in 1966, overcoming Real Bamako with a 3-1 second leg win after losing 3-1 in the first leg, eventually winning in added time.

If FAR Rabat were to overcome the Brazilians in Morocco, they would be just the second Moroccan side to claim the trophy after a first-leg defeat.

Raja Casablanca beat Ghana's Obuasi Goldfields 1-0 in the second leg and overcame the Ghanaian side 5-4 on penalties.

The most recent side to lose the first leg and claim the trophy was Tunisian giants Esperance, who beat record Champions League winners, Al Ahly, to win the 2018 title.

The Taraji suffered a 3-1 loss in the first leg in Egypt, but returned to Tunisia full of confidence to claim a 3-0 win to stage a stunning comeback and claim a 4-3 aggregate win.

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21 teams have won the first leg of a two-legged final and gone on to lift the trophy, a more credible 37% success rate, while the remaining first legs have ended in a draw.