We’re edging closer to the 2026 MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns. The game will kick off at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday at 18:00.
The Sea Robbers touched down Ethekwini from Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon.
ORLANDO PIRATES LAND AT THE KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR MTN8 FINAL
“Arrived in Durban,” the club announced on social media before posting the video with players and staff descending on Durban.
Sundowns have not tasted MTN8 glory since 2021 while Pirates are chasing a novel of five titles on the spin. The two sides have met 14 times in the MTN8, including 10 semi-finals, two quarter-finals and two finals.
Their most recent final encounter came in 2023, when Pirates defeated Sundowns on penalties after 120 minutes of goalless football. Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine emerged as the hero, saving three penalties as the Buccaneers won the shootout 3-1.
Pirates also eliminated Sundowns in the 2022 semi-finals, winning 3-0 on aggregate. That victory marked the beginning of their dominance in the competition, with the Soweto giants going on to lift four consecutive titles between 2022 and 2025.
The Buccaneers defeated AmaZulu in the 2022 final, Sundowns in 2023, and Stellenbosch FC in both 2024 and 2025.
Their latest triumph was particularly historic. Pirates beat Stellenbosch 3-0 after extra time at Mbombela Stadium in 2025 to become the first club to win four successive MTN8 titles.
That victory took Pirates’ overall MTN8 trophy tally to 14, further cementing their status as the competition’s most successful club.
The Buccaneers have already set another record this season by reaching their fifth consecutive MTN8 final. Their 4-0 aggregate victory over Sekhukhune United in the semi-finals made them the first team to achieve that milestone.
WHO DO YOU EXPECT TO BE CHAMPIONS ON SATURDAY?
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