Al Ahly Ascend: Cairo Crowns a New Queen of African Women’s Basketball

The curtains fell on the 2025 Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) in spectacular fashion as Al Ahly Sporting Club of Egypt delivered a statement performance, dethroning defending champions Ferroviário de Maputo 71–51 to lift the coveted continental crown in front of a raucous home crowd in Cairo. It was a final rich in intensity, emotion and symbolism, one that confirmed Al Ahly’s rise and underlined a changing of the guard in African women’s basketball.

Ferroviário, seasoned and battle-hardened at this stage, drew first blood. The Mozambican champions opened the scoring with early intent, signalling that they were ready to defend their title with authority. But that brief spark would be the extent of their early joy. Al Ahly responded almost immediately, and once they found their rhythm, there was no turning back. From that moment on, the final became a demonstration of composure, execution and ruthless efficiency from the hosts.

Al Ahly’s offence flowed with purpose and finesse. Every possession seemed deliberate, every movement calculated. Layups were finished with confidence, mid-range jumpers dropped cleanly, and transition baskets punished any lapse in Ferroviário’s retreat defence. The Egyptian champions did not simply score; they imposed their tempo and identity on the game, turning the final into a showcase of collective discipline and individual brilliance.

At the heart of it all stood Raneem Elgedawy, whose performance will be etched into WBLA folklore. The Al Ahly forward delivered a monumental double-double, pouring in 29 points and hauling down 18 rebounds in a dominant display on both ends of the floor.

Elgedawy controlled the paint, stretched the defence when needed, and punished Ferroviário’s mismatches with poise beyond her years. It was a finals performance worthy of the Most Valuable Player award, and she duly claimed it.

Elgedawy was ably supported by Nadine Mohamed, who added 18 crucial points. Mohamed’s contribution went beyond the stat sheet; her timely baskets halted Ferroviário’s attempted runs and kept Al Ahly firmly in control. Together, the duo embodied Al Ahly’s balance, power inside, clarity outside, and an unshakable belief fueled by the home crowd.
For Ferroviário de Maputo, the night was one of frustration and disbelief.

A team renowned for its structure and shooting struggled to find any offensive rhythm. The numbers told a brutal story: just two field goals made from 31 attempts, a staggering 6.45% shooting efficiency. Possession after possession ended in rushed attempts, contested shots, or forced plays that never settled into their usual flow.

Only Odelia Mafanela reached double figures for the defending champions, finishing with 11 points. Chiziane added 9, while Veloso contributed 8, but the collective spark that had defined Ferroviário’s title defence throughout the tournament was conspicuously absent. It was not the performance many expected from the reigning champions, and the scoreboard reflected that reality.

As the final buzzer sounded, the 71–51 scoreline confirmed Al Ahly’s supremacy on the night and crowned them champions of Africa. Cairo erupted in celebration, honouring a team that had blended talent, preparation and heart to perfection.

MVP Raneem Elgadawy voiced out.

what happened last year we came prepared and we had this mentality that because of what happened last year we were not gonna give up in any second of the game and we won.

The post-tournament honours further highlighted the quality on display. The All-Star Five featured:

Aliya Matharu (ASCVD) at point guard, Yacine Diop (APR) at forward, Hagar Amer and Raneem Elgedawy representing Al Ahly, alongside Ingvild Mucauro (CFM).

Hagar Amer was recognised as Best Rebounder with 67 rebounds, while Kayana Traylor (REG) claimed both Best Scorer and Best Three-Point Shooter awards.

The MVP, fittingly, belonged to Raneem Elgedawy.

In Cairo, Al Ahly did more than win a title—they announced a new era.