Club Africain fans steal the show on opening night

There were countless breathtaking events on the opening night of the 2026 Kalahari Conference, but it was the travelling fans of Club Africa who stole the show.

They arrived in their thousands, with thousands more expected to arrive in Rabat in the coming days.

Just over 2,000 Le Peuple Africain (The African People), as they are commonly known, filled a session at the iconic Salle Moulay Abdellah arena in Rabat. They chanted, cheered and clapped in unison at the successes of their heroes on the court.

Club Africain beat ASC Ville de Dakar 85-79.

Le Peuple Africain created a unique atmosphere at the very first game of the Sahara Conference for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

The BAL has witnessed some incredible crowds across Africa over the years, and Le Peuple Africain joined them to make their presence felt.

BAL.NBA.COM spoke to a supporter of Club Africain who requested anonymity, asking him to shed light on his passion for the historic club. He said: “Club Africain is in my heart. Força Club Africain! I came from Italy to support my team. I live in Italy, but I had to come and support my favourite team. This is my first time attending a BAL game, but I usually watch Club Africain when I'm in Tunisia. We have fans everywhere: Morocco and Algeria.”

Club Africain forward Oussama Marnaoui added, 'Our fans are here to enjoy themselves, and that's what they're like — they're amazing! They support our team from start to finish.”