A Final for the Few
June 1, 2026
Early November saw Club Africain and Esperance Tunis face off in the 206th edition of the Tunis Derby. The biggest clash in Tunisian football took place at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium. Dutch photographer Sander Wesdijk was there to capture the atmosphere first-hand.
Tunis immediately surprised me. The city has a beautiful old medina, full of narrow streets and warm, welcoming people. In the days before the match, you could feel the derby everywhere, fans walking through the city in the colours of Club Africain or Espérance, football woven into daily life.
On matchday, the streets were already buzzing early in the morning. Hundreds of Club Africain supporters gathered around the club offices, buying merchandise and preparing for the day, even though kick-off wasn’t until 14:30. Later, long convoys of cars moved towards the national stadium, fans hanging out of windows with flags, turning the drive into a moving celebration.
Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was intense. Supporters were busy preparing the tifo, while the stands were already bursting with songs. When the teams walked out, two massive tifos were unveiled, one behind the goal and one stretching across the long side. From that moment on it was an ongoing hurricane of noise, energy, and emotion.
During the second half, the atmosphere escalated with dozens of flares, some thrown towards the police positioned behind the goal. Despite all the chaos and passion, the match itself finished 0-0. But in Tunis, the derby is clearly about much more than the score, it’s a celebration of identity, rivalry, and a football culture that lives far beyond the ninety minutes.
