Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena battles for the ball with Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund during the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images) Mamelodi Sundowns are still enjoying the fruits that were planted by their appearance at the expanded Fifa Club World Cup in 2025. Although the tournament has drawn criticism from players and unions for fattening an already bloated soccer schedule, Fifa has always insisted that the rejigging of the global club tournament is for exposure and the expansion of soccer’s global footprint.
Leipzig’s leap
Now that German top-flight club RB Leipzig announced that it would be touring SA in May and would play a friendly match against serial South African champions Sundowns in May 2026, Fifa’s stance seems to have some credibility.
Granted, Sundowns and Leipzig share commercial partners such as Puma and Red Bull, but the German club’s Managing Director, Johann Plenge, says what they saw of Sundowns at the World Cup caught their eye.
The Pretoria giants beat South Korean Ulsan 1-0, before being edged 4-3 by Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and then drawing 0-0 with Brazil’s Fluminense to narrowly miss out on reaching the knockout stage. Despite this mixed bag of results, they did enough to capture global attention with their brand of exciting soccer.
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-1495786058_861786.jpg "RB Leipzig Managing Director Johann Plenge says the team is visiting South Africa to help grow their global brand. (Photo: Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images)")
“We all followed the Fifa Club World Cup last year and we saw their performances. Especially when they played Borussia Dortmund,” Plenge said.
“We wanted to have an ambitious opponent. We saw their quality at the Club World Cup. We also know about the domestic success of Sundowns, with them winning the Premiership eight consecutive times. So, we want to mess with the best teams in town and we think Sundowns is a perfect match.”
Growing the Leipzig brand globally
Plenge further explained that as much as Sundowns’ World Cup displays had planted the seed for this visit to SA, it was also a continuation of their deliberate attempt to grow the Leipzig brand globally.
The club was only founded in 2009, starting in the fifth tier of German soccer. After climbing up the ladder, they finally made it to the top flight of their country’s soccer – debuting in the Bundesliga in the 2016/17 season. They finished second and have not placed lower than seventh in that time.
“Why SA? There are many reasons. But primarily it’s about soccer. After going to the US in 2024 and Brazil [in 2025], we are now heading to SA to leave our footprint in a new market, not just as RB Leipzig, but as a Bundesliga club,” Plenge stated.
Barcelona came before
Leipzig is not the first European club to visit SA to play against Sundowns. Barcelona have come twice, first in 2007 and then again in 2018.
The man who captained the Brazilians on the latter occasion, Hlompho Kekana, says the match-up with Leipzig will be another great opportunity for Sundowns to showcase the quality of South African soccer.
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2221726493_383287.jpg "Mamelodi Sundowns earned a number of new fans on the back of their 2025 Fifa Club World Cup appearance. This includes RB Leipzig. (Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)")
“We look forward to welcoming a formidable side like RB Leipzig to Pretoria. Having captained Mamelodi Sundowns against Barcelona in 2018, I personally know the players will be competitive,” the retired Kekana said.
“We have just taken on some of the biggest clubs globally [at the Club World Cup] and the Leipzig tour gives us an opportunity to not only showcase South African football flair, but the country’s hospitality.
“We cannot wait to display our style of play – shoe shine and piano – to the world, once again.”
2010 World Cup legacy
The match will be played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. The venue is named after South African football legend Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe, who was considered one of the best football talents of his time. The stadium also holds a special international significance as during the 2010 World Cup, the German national team used it as a training facility.
“SA is a market which is very well known in Germany, since the 2010 World Cup. It’s known for its warm atmosphere, its joyful soccer and its amazing fans. We can still hear the vuvuzelas echoing in our ears from 16 years ago. So, we are excited to take this step into this new market,” Plenge told journalists.
Jürgen Klopp effect
In addition to Leipzig, Red Bull owns Austrian soccer club Salzburg and also has a stake in French club Paris FC. It also sponsors New York in Major League Soccer, with other round-ball interests in Japan and Brazil.
Red Bull recruited former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp in January 2025 and made him its head of global soccer. In his role he oversees the entire international network of Red Bull-owned clubs.
/file/attachments/orphans/2265262500_134152.jpg "Due to the 2026 Fifa World Cup, RB Leipzig will be without one of the team’s best players in Yan Diomande (left). Nevertheless they have promised to bring a competitive squad for their South African visit, on 29 May 2026. (Photo: Inaki Esnaola / Getty Images)")
“Jürgen is an important part of the global team, connecting different knots, different clubs and different people within the clubs. But also, within the broader football environment. So, Jürgen is very happy that he can help the club in building more relations around the world, such as Sundowns,” Plenge said.
The exhibition match will be played on Friday, 29 May 2026. But with countries preparing for the 2026 World Cup, neither side will be at full strength. Nevertheless, they have promised an entertaining encounter. DM