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| Top 10 Best Biggest Football Derbies in Africa 2024 |
Best Biggest Football Derbies in Africa
The derby matches have a special status among football fans as an opportunity to defeat the rival and archenemy.While the term "derby" may be used to refer to any match between two major teams from different cities and countries, it is often used for matches between teams from the same city or region.
Many Arab and African countries take pride in hosting some of the best derbies not only on the continent but in the world, including:
- Cairo Derby between Al Ahly and Zamalek.
- Casablanca Derby between Raja Club Athletic and Wydad Athletic Club.
- Algiers Derby between MC Alger and USM Alger.
- Tunis Capital Derby between Esperance and Club Africain.
- Omdurman Derby between Al-Hilal and Al-Merrikh.
The Cairo Derby between Al-Ahly and Zamalek
The Cairo Derby, which brings together the most successful clubs in Egypt and Africa, is widely considered one of the best derbies in the world. |
| The Cairo Derby between Al-Ahly and Zamalek |
This derby is known for being one of the most intense and competitive in the Arab world, and its matches usually witness fan violence between the two clubs before and after the game.
This extends beyond the city of Cairo to all parts of Egypt, where supporters are usually divided between those who support Zamalek (Zamalkawy) and those who support Al-Ahly (Ahlawy).
This rivalry began on February 9, 1917, in a friendly match won by Al-Ahly with a clear goal. Since then, Al-Ahly has won 108 matches, while Zamalek has won 59 matches.
As the most successful clubs in Egypt, matches between the two teams often determine the league or local cup champions.
Since 2001, no Egyptian club other than Al-Ahly and Zamalek has won the league title, reflecting the dominance of these two clubs in domestic competition.
In 2019, the British newspaper Daily Mirror ranked the Cairo Derby as the third strongest derby in the world.
Read more: Top 10 best football clubs in the world of all time
The Casablanca Derby between Wydad and Raja
As for the Moroccan derby that brings together the two poles of the city of Casablanca, the clubs of Raja and Wydad, it ranks second in the Arab world, as it had occupied the tenth position in the global ranking of derbies in 2016. |
| The Casablanca Derby between Wydad and Raja |
Historically, Wydad began to win local titles in the 1940s, while Raja's competition for titles was delayed until the 1970s. Since then, it has become a tough and potential contender for championships, intensifying the competition between the two teams. Over the years, the Casablanca Derby has become one of the most famous derbies in the Arab world and the African continent.
The competition between the two teams began at the start of the league in the 1950s, where they played 132 matches in competition, from 1957 to 2022.
The balance of victories leans in favor of Raja Club Athletic, which has a 3-win lead over its traditional rival Wydad, with the most recent being on Thursday, June 16th, when Raja won 2-0 in the match held at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, for the 25th round of the Moroccan Professional Football League.
Historically, Raja Club Athletic has won the derby 36 times, while Wydad Athletic has secured victory 33 times, with 63 matches ending in a draw between the two sides.
The Tunisian derby between Esperance and Club Africain
The Tunisian derby between Esperance Sportive and Club Africain ranks third among the strongest Arab derbies, and despite not being classified among the global derbies, it enjoys a wide following within Tunisia. Esperance dominates in various competitions against Club Africain, as well as in terms of Tunisian league titles, aiming for a sixth consecutive league title and 32nd in its history. |
| The Tunisian derby between Esperance and Club Africain |
Looking back at the historical encounters, we find that Club Africain has won the Tunisian derby 32 times, with the most recent victory occurring during the 2018-19 football season when "Bab Jedid" team won with two goals scored by Yassine Chamakhi and Manoubi Haddad, against one goal by Esperance scored by Saad Bguir.
From its side, Espérance Sportive de Tunis has won over its traditional rival on 55 occasions, the latest being in the first leg of the 2020-21 season, 1-0, scored by Anis Badri.
The last match between the two teams ended in a goalless draw (0-0) in the first leg of the fourth round of the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 for the current season, specifically on May 8th of the past year, making it the 50th draw in the history of the Tunisian capital derby.
Top 10 Biggest Football Derbies in Africa 2024
| # | Derbies | countries | Opposing Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Derby Cairo | Egypt | Zamalek - Al Ahly |
| 2 | Casablanca Derby | Morocco | Raja Club Athletic - Wydad Athletic |
| 3 | Derby Algeria | Algeria | Algerian Moulodia - Federation of Algeria |
| 4 | Derby Tunis | Tunisia | Espérance Sportive de Tunis - Club Africain |
| 5 | Derby Soweto | South Africa | Kaizer Chiefs - Orlando Pirates |
| 6 | Omdurman Derby | Sudan | Al-Hilal - Al-Merrikh |
| 7 | Nairobi Derby | Kenya | Leopards - Gor Mahia |
| 8 | Nairobi Derby | Angola | Petro Atletico - Primeiro de Agosto |
| 9 | Derby Tripoli | Libya | Al-Ittihad - Al-Ahli Tripoli |
| 10 | Lubumbashi Derby | Congo | AS Saint-Éloi Lupopo - TP Mazembe |
