Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Neo Maema has voiced his excitement about competing against elite global clubs at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the United States.

This prestigious tournament offers the CAF Champions League powerhouse a prime opportunity to redeem themselves on the international stage and re-energize their loyal fanbase, following their heartbreaking defeat in the same competition to Pyramids.

The Tshwane giants find themselves in a challenging Group F, alongside South Korea’s Ulsan HD, German Bundesliga powerhouse Borussia Dortmund, and reigning Copa Libertadores champions Fluminense from Brazil. Sundowns will kick off their highly anticipated campaign against Ulsan HD at the Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, 18 June.

This marks the second time The Brazilians have qualified for the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, having previously participated after their historic Champions League victory in 2016.

“We got a bit of a few days off, you know, so that we can just recuperate, make sure that we gather our thoughts and just look forward because it’s another adventure and another experience,” said Maema.

“We are playing against the best clubs around the world, so we are looking forward to that and making sure that we let this one lie.”

Sundowns is one of four formidable African representatives at the tournament, joining Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Moroccan powerhouse Wydad AC, and Tunisian stalwarts Espérance de Tunis.

For many Sundowns players, including Maema, this will be their first taste of the expanded and highly prestigious FIFA Club World Cup, promising an unforgettable experience on football’s grandest club stage.