Coming into the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Tunisia’s Espérance Sportive de Tunis was one of the clubs that soccer fans here in America knew little or even nothing about. Despite that, strong displays of passion and pyrotechnics from their supporters have made sports fans in Philadelphia and Nashville familiar with their name, badge, and colors.
Now, after their 1-0 win against LAFC, Espérance have a chance to tell the rest of the world about Tunisian football, looking to punch their ticket to the Club World Cup Round of 16 with a win against the Premier Leagues’s Chelsea Football Club at Lincoln Financial Field on Tuesday night.
How Espérance got here
Qualifying for the tournament thanks to their high ranking amongst other clubs in the African Football Confederation over recent years, Espérance enter the FIFA Club World Cup for the 4th time in club history and the first since 2019.
After losing their opening match of the tournament to Flamengo by a score of 2-0, the Tunisian powerhouse went down to Nashville and earned a 1-0 win against LAFC to keep their Knockout Round hopes alive.
33 year-old Youcef Belaili broke the deadlock and gave Espérance the lead over Major League Soccer’s LAFC in the 70th minute.
LAFC’s Denis Bouanaga had a chance to equalize from the penalty spot in stoppage time, but Espérance keeper Bechir Ben Said made a kick save to secure all 3 points for his side and the opportunity to play in a “Winner and Advance” match against one of the biggest clubs on the globe, Chelsea Football Club.
Not only will this be Espérance’s first meeting against a Premier League side, but it will also mark their first FIFA Club Competition fixture against a European opponent in general.
Chelsea started the competition off with a 2-0 win against LAFC , but were embarrassed by Flamengo at Lincoln Financial Field when the Brazilians scored 3 unanswered to defeat the 10-men Premier League side.
Chelsea, who have failed to hit the back of the net just once in their previous 14 competitive matches, are also checking off a milestone on Tuesday night by facing their first African side in a FIFA club competition.
Chelsea’s loss to Flamengo was just their 2nd in their last 11 competitive matches, with a record of 9W-0D-2L during that span. Chelsea would advance to the Club World Cup Round of 16 with a win OR a draw against Espérance on Tuesday night.
What it means for Espérance Supporters
This isn’t just another cup competition for Espérance fans to follow and support their team in. Playing on the big stage, against big clubs, in country where the 2026 World Cup is taking place, they knew this was their chance to show the world what Tunisian football culture is all about, and they haven’t disappointed.
Videos surfaced before the first match of the tournament of Espérance supporters throwing a rally down at Penn’s Landing, which caught the attention of Philly natives.
They kept the party going down in Nashville, where to got to watch their club defeat Major League Soccer’s LAFC and march down the Music Citt’s busy Broadway, singing the songs of their beloved Espérance.
Following their victorious trip down to Nashville, Espérance supporters returned to Philadelphia and threw a party under the Ben Franklin Bridge at Race Street Pier to get ready for their big match against Chelsea FC on Tuesday night.
“It’s been just about tomorrow’s game, planning for tomorrow, and that’s it. No more than that. As you can see, it’s not easy in these conditions with these temperatures…It’s difficult to work with these temperatures but we are here and we trying to do our best.” – Espérance Manager Maher Kanzari
Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
