TUNISIAAfricain head towards their centennial
celebrations this October the future
remains uncertain.
Former president Sim Riahi has been
in Dubai since being charged with money
laundering in 2017 and the subsequent
instability has seen Club Africain reach
new lows on the field as well as off it. In
February 2019 they were thrashed 8-0
by TP Mazembe in a Champions League
group game – a result that Esperance’s
fans take great pleasure in reminding
their rivals about.
Abdessalem Younsi has subsequently
taken over as president but Club Africain
are being left in Esperance’s slipstream as
the gap between them becomes wider
than the motorway that separates the
offices of the two clubs in Tunis.
While Esperance close in on a
potentially historic treble, Club Africain’s
facilities are crumbling and Lassaad
Dridi’s side face an uncertain future.
US BEN GUERDANE
Avoided relegation on
goal difference last
season after a final day
1-0 win over Metlaoui which is now
being investigated for match fixing.CA BIZERTIN
Four-time Ligue 1
winners from the
northernmost city in
Africa, they were the first Tunisian
club to win a CAF title, taking the
1988 Cup-winners Cup.CS CHEBBA
Based on the north
coast and doing well
this season after
winning promotion last year.CLUB AFRICAIN
Tunisia’s second-oldest
side have won 13 Ligue 1
titles and the African Cup
of Champions Clubs in 1991. They
retain the biggest support among
Tunisian football fans.ESPERANCE SPORTIVE
DE TUNIS
Founded in January 1919,
Tunisia’s oldest club have
won four Champions League/Cup of
Champions Clubs. Known in Arabic
as “El Taraji” after the coffeehouse
where the club’s founders often
used to meet.ETOILE SPORTIVE DU
SAHEL
Winners of 10 domestic
titles, the Champions
League in 2007 and the African
Cup-winners Cup/Confederation Cup
four times. They were Ligue 1 winners
in 2016 and runners-up last season.CS HAMMAN-LIF CLUB
From a coastal town near
Tunis, they are four-time
Ligue 1 winners but their
last title was in 1956. Promoted in
2018 as winners of the Ligue 2 play-
off, they are struggling this season.JS KAIROUAN
Founded in 1942, their
only title win was back
in 1977.ES METLAOUI
Founded in 1956 but
their last success was
winning Ligue 2 in 2013.US MONASTIR
Founded in 1923 as
Ruspina Sports and
changed names in 1942.
After political and financial problems
last year they are mounting a surprise
title challenge this time around.CS SFAXIEN
Champions League
finalists in 2006, they
won the last of their eight
Ligue 1 titles in 2013. Club chairman
Moncef Khemakhem was suspended
for life in 2017 for twice pinching the
buttocks of an assistant referee but
remains in power.AS SOLIMAN
Founded in 1960 and
promoted last season
as winners of Ligue 2.STADE TUNISIEN
From Bardo near Tunis,
they were one of the
country’s best sides from
the 1950s to the 1970s but the last
of their four titles was in 1965.US TATAOUINE
They won promotion
to Ligue 1 for the first
time in 2016 but were
immediately relegated. Bounced
straight back last year as winners
of Ligue 1 but are in trouble again.LIGUE 1: 2019-20
El Taraji...Esperance
celebrated their
centenary last yearProblems...Club African have money worries and face an uncertain future