Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe wants the club to win the CAF Champions League final and qualify for the expanded FIFA Club World Cup as African champions.
Sundowns travel to Cairo to face Egyptian side Pyramids on Sunday at 7pm at the 30 June Stadium for the second leg of the final.
The tie is delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, where Pyramids snatched a last-minute equaliser at Loftus Versfeld.
This marks Sundowns’ first CAF Champions League final appearance since their historic triumph in 2016 under Pitso Mosimane. Under current coach Miguel Cardoso, they now have a chance to return to the pinnacle of African club football.
“That’s what we want, to go there as African champions,” Motsepe told the media.
“We have a big chance. Being African champions again is something we’ve longed for. We are one step away from achieving it.
“If we were to rewind to the start of the season and you asked if we would love to be in this position – one game away from the CAF Champions League title – we would take it. It’s what we plan for every season.”
Motsepe has publicly backed Cardoso, indicating the Portuguese manager’s job is safe regardless of Sunday’s outcome – a stark contrast to last season, when Rulani Mokwena was dismissed following a semifinal exit.
If Sundowns emerge victorious, they will secure a place in the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup.
To aid preparations, FIFA has announced a special transfer window from 1-10 June, allowing Cardoso to bolster his squad.