Wydad ready for war with Man City
Cassius Mailula of Wydad celebrates goal with teammates during the 2024/25 Morocco Botola League match between Wydad and Hassania Agadir at Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco on 9 February 2025 ©Nabil Ramdani/BackpagePix
by Staff Reporter
Wednesday Jun 18, 2025. 12:55
Wydad AC are set to begin their FIFA Club World Cup campaign against English giants Manchester City at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Kick-off is at 6pm CAT.
Wydad earned their spot at the competition as previous winners of the CAF Champions League, being crowned kings of the continent for a third time at the end of the 2021/22 season.
In similar fashion, Man City qualified as past winners of the UEFA Champions League after being crowned as champions of Europe for the first time in the 2022/23 season.
Wydad’s domestic season in the Botola Pro 1 league left much to be desired as they finished third, 16 points behind winners RSB Berkane. This led the club to part ways with South African head coach Rhulani Mokwena after just one season.
Amine Benhachem, who has taken the reins at the Moroccan club, believes his side will take the fight to City in what promises to be a tough challenge.
“It is going to be a difficult match, let’s not kid ourselves – Manchester City, enough said,” Benhachem told the media in the build-up to the fixture.
“This is going to be hard, but we have our chances. We have our way of playing and we can at least compete.”
Man City’s squad for the tournament includes new signings Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Marcus Bettinelli, providing manager Pep Guardiola with both defensive surety and attacking options for the tournament and the season to come.
Having won the last iteration of the Club World Cup, City will be looking to stamp their authority on the competition’s new and expanded format.
By Nic Gleeson