By Hodovai Ekpe-Iko
What’s football without a bit of fire? Going band for band. Chant for chant. Smoke for smoke. Imagine a world where fans are polite, unbothered, and chill about their teams. No banter? No tension? No drama? Sounds dull. Take away football rivalries, and the game loses its soul. Rivalries give football its edge; they raise the stakes, stir the passion, and turn ordinary matches into unforgettable battles.
Across the globe, rivalries are the pulse of the sport. From the Derby della Madonnina (Inter vs AC Milan) in Italy to the fiery Old Firm Derby (Rangers vs Celtic) in Scotland and, of course, the iconic El Clásico (Barcelona vs Real Madrid) in Spain, these aren’t just games. They’re fueled by pride, identity, and history.
Africa brings its fire to this dynamic. The football rivalries here go deeper than just what happens on the pitch. They’re intertwined with politics, class, culture, and history. The rivalries span the continent, encompassing club and international football.
Here, we present you all of African football’s biggest rivalries and the exciting bits of history fuelling these battles.
The Cairo Derby
The Cairo Derby, often labelled Africa’s fiercest, dates back to 1917 when Al Ahly took a 1-0 win at Zamalek Stadium. Since then, it’s grown into something monumental. It’s more than a match, it’s war. From crowd violence that halted the 1971–1972 season to the rise of “ultras” whose actions pushed the government to flood stadiums with security, the tension is ever-present.
These matches are so high-stakes that neutral referees from other countries are brought in to avoid bias. And the viewership? Over 50 million domestically. Both clubs faced off in an empty stadium in the 2019-2020 CAF Champions League final due to COVID-19. Al Ahly won 2-1, adding another notch to their tally of 110 wins to Zamalek’s 62.
| Al Ahly | Zamalek | |
| Number of Wins | 110 | 62 |
| Domestic Titles | 123 | 65 |
| Largest Win | 6-1 | 6-0 |
The Casablanca Derby
Still staying in the north, Casablanca is home to one of African football’s biggest rivalries: Wydad vs Raja. The Casablanca Derby first kicked off in 1957 with a 1-0 win for Raja. Since then, tensions have boiled over countless times. In 1978, Raja players walked off in protest after Wydad were given a penalty, and Raja’s goalkeeper was sent off. In 2001, a 3-0 win for Wydad was overturned after Raja contested the eligibility of a player.
It’s not just paperwork and penalties, though; this rivalry has seen real tragedy, with the last fatality coming in 2007 when a 17-year-old Wydad fan lost his life.
| Wydad | Raja | |
| Number of Wins | 39 | 46 |
| Domestic Titles | 31 | 22 |
| Largest Win | 3-0 | 5-1 |
The Soweto Derby
Down in Southern Africa, Soweto is the battleground between the Kaizer Chiefs and the Orlando Pirates. This rivalry is unique in its origin; Kaizer Chiefs was formed by Kaizer Motaung, a former Pirates player who returned from playing professionally in the U.S. and decided to start his own thing. What started as a team playing friendlies evolved into one of Africa’s most supported clubs. When they face the Pirates, it’s a festival of colour, song, and noise. Stadiums turn into waves of black, gold, and white.
Players and coaches have crossed enemy lines, too, like Jimmy Tau, who captained both clubs and won league titles with each. Another Soweto Derby is on the cards as both clubs are set to face off again in the final of the Nedbank Cup on May 10th.
| Kaizer Chiefs | Orlando Pirates | |
| Number of Wins | 28 | 25 |
| Domestic Titles | 53 | 33 |
| Largest Win | 3-1 | 5-1 |
The Oriental Derby
In West Africa, the Enyimba vs Enugu Rangers clash, popularly known as the Oriental Derby, is one of the most heated in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL). These games aren’t just about bragging rights; they often carry league title implications.
In 2024, over 30,000 fans were at the Rangers’ 22,000-capacity Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium. With just two points separating the teams at the top of the table, the stakes were high. Then came a controversial penalty deep into stoppage time. Enugu Rangers got the call, the Enyimba players were not having it, and chaos broke loose; fans stormed the pitch, and the match was abandoned. The league later awarded a 3-0 win to Enugu Rangers and fined both clubs millions of naira.
| Enyimba | Enugu Rangers | |
| Number of Wins (last 30 Games) | 14 | 8 |
| Domestic Titles | 18 | 15 |
| Largest Win(s) | 3-1 | 2-0 |
Nigeria vs Cameroon
Club football rivalries are intense, but when it comes to international football, nothing compares to Nigeria vs Cameroon. Between them, they’ve claimed eight AFCON titles and two Olympic golds. But when it comes to finals, Cameroon has often had Nigeria’s number, especially in the heartbreaks of 1984, 1988, and, most painfully, 2000. That year’s final, played in Lagos, ended in a 2-2 draw before going to penalties. A controversial moment saw Victor Ikpeba’s spot kick seemingly cross the line, but the referee didn’t give it. Cameroon held on to win. Painful.
However, in more recent encounters, Nigeria has had the edge, knocking Cameroon out of the 2019 and 2023 AFCON tournaments.
| Nigeria | Cameroon | |
| Number of Wins | 13 | 5 |
| AFCON Titles | 3 | 5 |
| Largest Win(s) | 4-0 | 3-1 |
The Jollof Derby
Then there’s Nigeria vs Ghana—the Jollof Derby. This isn’t just about football. It’s about culture, music, food, and decades of competition. The rivalry runs deep both on and off the pitch, with Ghana enjoying a 17-year unbeaten streak — one that remarkably overlapped with Nigeria’s own 15-year run. It was a stretch marked by hard-fought draws, as both sides managed to avoid defeat against each other for almost a decade. Nigeria finally broke Ghana’s streak in 2001, and six years later, Ghana returned the favour by ending Nigeria’s run in 2007.
Controversies? Plenty. A World Cup qualifier in 1973 was abandoned after Ghana scored a late goal in Lagos, causing a riot. In 1982, it was alleged that Ghana’s players were given $8,000 to beat Nigeria. Every matchup feels personal. To date, they’ve met 58 times, with Ghana ahead with 25 wins to Nigeria’s 12.
| Ghana | Nigeria | |
| Number of Wins | 25 | 12 |
| AFCON Titles | 4 | 3 |
| Largest Win | 7-0 | 5-0 |
Algeria vs Egypt
To wrap it up, we head back to North Africa with Algeria vs Egypt, a rivalry steeped in politics, pride, and footballing glory. With nine AFCON titles and two Arab Cups, both nations have long histories of dominance. Tensions trace back to 1958 when Egypt refused to play exhibition matches against the Algerian FLN team, wary of FIFA sanctions despite regional support for Algeria’s independence.
However, things truly boiled over in 2010 during World Cup qualifiers. After Egypt’s 2–0 win forced a play-off in Sudan, emotions were already high following an attack on Algeria’s team bus by Egyptian fans. Algeria won the decider 1–0 and booked their ticket to the 2010 World Cup. A result that still stirs strong feelings to this day.
| Algeria | Egypt | |
| Number of Wins | 10 | 7 |
| AFCON Titles | 2 | 7 |
| Largest Win | 3-1 | 4-0 |
These football rivalries are more than just fixtures; they’re stories, scars, and statements reflecting country, culture, and people because in Africa, football is everything. And at the end, when your team wins, it’s magic. But when your rivals lose?
Now that’s the sweetest feeling of all.
