Friday May 08, 2026. 14:53
USM Alger will aim to take a commanding lead in the CAF Confederation Cup final as they welcome Egyptian powerhouse Zamalek for the first leg at Stade 5 Juillet 1962 on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 9:00 pm CAT.
The Algerian side are in good shape heading into this showpiece, having gone unbeaten in their previous four matches in all competitions.
Their latest result was a hard-fought 2-1 win against CR Belouizdad in the Algerian Cup final on April 30.
Alger booked their place in the final by narrowly overcoming Olympique Safi of Morocco on the away goals rule (1-1 aggregate) and are now chasing a third major continental honour, building on their 2023 Confederation Cup and Super Cup triumphs.
Zamalek, on the other hand, have been patchy in recent weeks, picking up just two victories in their last four outings. Their most recent success came via a 1-0 win over Smouha on May 5, ending a brief winless run.
The Egyptian giants advanced to the final after defeating CR Belouizdad 1-0 on aggregate and are determined to claim a record-equalling third CAF Confederation Cup crown.
This marks only the third encounter between USM Alger and Zamalek, following their two previous meetings in the 2017 CAF Champions League group stage.
The Algerian side hold the edge in the record, having secured a convincing 2-0 victory in Algiers before earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw away in Cairo. USM Alger remain unbeaten against the Egyptian club.
Mauritanian official Dahane Beida will referee the first leg in Algiers, while experienced Gabonese match official Pierre Atcho has been assigned to the second leg in Egypt on May 16.