Zamalek Eyes a Breakthrough Against Kaiser Chiefs in South Africa
29 November 2025
Preview and Stakes
Zamalek is heading for another clash in South Africa against Kaiser Chiefs, in the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup group stage. This fixture could set the tone for Group Stage fortunes and, perhaps, spark a late-season surge for the White Knight.
This matchup adds another chapter to a long ledger of clashes between the White Knight and South African clubs, with statistics showing a slight edge for the Bafana Bafana teams over Zamalek so far.
The White Knight is set to face Kaiser Chiefs this Saturday at Peter Mokaba Stadium, after opening their campaign with a crucial 1-0 win over ZESCO United in the opening round.
Past Clashes and Context
Zamalek has played 12 official matches against four different South African clubs. The numbers lean toward a slight South African advantage, with the White Knight winning five times, losing six, and one draw.
A clash that renews after 30 years
This meeting in the Confederation Cup is the first between the teams in this competition. Historically, the first encounters date back to 1993 in the African Champions League Round of 16, when Zamalek lost 1-2 in the first leg and won 1-0 in the return, eliminating Kaiser Chiefs on the away-goals rule.
Head-to-head with Orlando Pirates is the best record for Egyptian clubs against SA sides; they’ve met four times with no draws, and Zamalek won three of those, including matches in the 2015 Confederation Cup and the 2013 CAF Champions League.
Memories, Setbacks, and a Tough Path
The toughest and most painful chapters for Zamalek involve Mamelodi Sundowns: four meetings in the 2016 CAF Champions League, with one win and three defeats. Zamalek also lost the final to Sundowns after a 3-0 first-leg deficit and a 1-0 win in the return, sending the trophy to the South Africans.
Recent clashes with SA sides saw a single draw, against Stellenbosch FC in the Confederation Cup quarterfinals, where the first leg was 0-0 and the return 1-0 to Stellenbosch, knocking Zamalek out.
Zamalek hopes this Kaiser Chiefs clash becomes a launchpad to break the slight South African edge, building on their important win over ZESCO United, while the South African side opened with a 1-2 loss to Egyptian club Al Masry.
Punchline: if football had GPS, Zamalek would still blame a wrong turn on “signal interference” and still find the net eventually. Punchline 2: they say football is a game of two halves; Zamalek plays the second half like a trailer—lots of suspense, and you still have to wait for the main feature.
