USM Alger pocket record $4m after CAF Confed Cup triumph
USM Alger were crowned 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup champions on Saturday night after edging Egypt’s Zamalek 8-7 on penalties in a tense final in Cairo.
The club secured a record breaking USD4 million prize money from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for defeating Zamalek in the final.
The massive financial windfall is the biggest ever handed to winners of the competition following CAF’s recent increase in inter club tournament bonuses.
Beyond the trophy celebrations, the prize money became one of the major talking points of the final.
CAF significantly boosted its competition prize structure earlier this year as part of efforts to strengthen African Club Football financially.
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Previously, winners of the CAF Confederation Cup go home with $2 million but that has been increased to $4 million.
The Runner-up of the competition also pockets $1 million, while the semi-finalist and quarter-finalists get $750k and $550k respectively.
For USM Alger, the historic payday now delivers a huge financial boost capable of transforming the club’s squad investment, infrastructure and long term ambitions.
Meanwhile, the club’s Senegalese coach Lamine Ndiaye became only the fifth coach in African football history to win both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
