TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup – USM Alger looking for another title
Going into the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup 2026, scheduled on 8 November 2026, at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Algerian giants USM Alger are looking to produce another monumental continental upset to bag their second CAF Super Cup title.
The “USMA” won the 2023 edition beating Egyptian giants Al Ahly to cause one of the CAF Super Cup biggest surprises then, and they would like to have another one when they face South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns this Sunday.
How they reached the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup
USM Alger earned their place in this year's edition through an extraordinary run in the 2025–26 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup. They started their campaign from the 2nd Preliminary Round beating Ivoirian side AF Amadou Dialo 3-1 on aggregate to reach the group stage, where they finished on top of Group A that had with them Morocco’s Olympic Safi, Mali’s Djoliba and Cote d’Ivoire’s FC San Pedro.
USMA made perfect use of the away-goals rule, beating DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union (2-2 on aggregate) in the quarterfinals, then Olympic Safi once again (1-1 on aggregate) in the semifinals to book their spot in the final with Egyptian titans Zamalek.
The drama packed final saw USM Alger winning the first leg 1-0 in Algiers with a last gasp winner. Zamalek neutralized the aggregate score early in the return leg at Cairo International Stadium but couldn’t find a winner to set the game to be decided by a tense penalty shootout. Displaying nerves of steel in front of a packed stadium, USM Alger triumphed 8-7 on penalties to win their second CAF Confederation Cup crown and book their ticket to the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup.
History in CAF Super Cup
USM Alger appears in the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup for the second time, boasting a perfect record in this competition. Their previous appearance dates to 2023 following their maiden CAF Confederation Cup triumph, when they shocked then CAF Champions League winners and historic champions Al Ahly beating them 1-0 in the match that was held in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Current Season
USMA started their 2026–27 domestic campaign with a promising momentum. After seven matchdays, they lie fourth in the Algerian “Ligue 1” with 14 points, just three short from leaders CR Belouizdad. Their last game before heading to Pretoria saw them beating CS Constantine 2-0 on October 31, 2026, courtesy of a brace from Mohamed El Amine Ramdaoui.
Continentally, USMA will defend their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup title from the group stage. After being granted a bye in the 1st Preliminary Round, they didn’t play in the 2nd Preliminary as their opponents The Panthers from Equatorial Guinea withdrew.
Head Coach: Lamine N'Diaye
Veteran Senegalese manager Lamine N'Diaye took charge of USMA in February 2026. The Senegalese tactician guided DR Congo’s TP Mazembe to the CAF Champions League title in 2010, two CAF Super Cup titles (2010, 2011) and to the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup final.
N'Diaye’s guided USMA to a historic double last season, winning both the Algerian Cup and the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup. He signed a new two-year contract extension last June to remain at the helm of the Algiers based club. N'Diaye remains highly respectful of the opposition, publicly citing Mamelodi Sundowns as "the best club in Africa" while emphasizing that his squad will travel to Pretoria determined to cause a strategic surprise.
He was lately nominated for the 2024 CAF Men's Coach of the Year award.
Notable Player: Oussama Benbot
Benbot established himself as a reliable, commanding presence in the penalty area. He joined USM Alger in August 2021 after a successful stint with JS Kabylie, and quickly became a critical asset for the club, anchoring their defense during historic continental and domestic campaigns. He guided USMA to their both TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup titles (2022–23 and 2025–26), the 2023 CAF Super Cup, and back-to-back Algerian Cup triumphs in 2025 and 2026, where he proudly captained his side in the latter. Benbot earned a spot in Algeria's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he made his first competitive start for Les Fennecs in a group stage fixture against Austria.
He was nominated for the "Best Goalkeeper in Africa" in CAF Awards 2026.