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Miguel Cardoso (Mamelodi Sundowns), Nasreddine Nabi (Kaizer Chiefs, Abdeslam Ouaddou (Orlando Pirates) and Steve Barker (Stellenbosch) 16-9GOAL GFX
Celine Abrahams

The big questions the first Premier Soccer League matchday should answer - From Mamelodi Sundowns to Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Stellenbosch and Sekhukhune United

The MTN8 whet our appetite, but now the 2025/26 league season begins, bringing pressure, hype and big expectations for giants and underdogs alike.

The first Premier Soccer League matchday may not define the season, but it will reveal. It will reveal who’s ready, who’s rusty and who might already be in over their heads. Will Mamelodi Sundowns continue their relentless stride? Can Kaizer Chiefs weather the storm without head coach Nasreddine Nabi? Will Orlando Pirates make a title statement? Can Stellenbosch shake off the Chiefs-shaped spotlight? Will Sekhukhune prove their rise was no fluke? 

And further down the ladder, with relegation always lurking like a shadow, can newcomers Orbit College and Durban City survive the jump, or are they set for a harsh reality check?

Here, GOAL unpacks the big questions this blockbuster opening weekend should answer. 

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  • Mamelodi Sundowns playersBackpagepix

    Mamelodi Sundowns at Chippa United: A test of focus, not firepower

    Fresh from a clinical MTN8 win, Masandawana are already showing signs of continuity and evolution under Miguel Cardoso. They now travel to Gqeberha to face Chippa United, a side desperate to avoid being cannon fodder in front of their home fans. 

    This isn’t about ability for Sundowns, it’s about mentality. Can they maintain that high standard, on the road, against a side that will likely sit deep and hope to frustrate? The defending champions have set the bar early; anything less than control and a result will raise eyebrows.  

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  • Nasreddine Nabi, Kaizer ChiefsKaizer Chiefs

    Kaizer Chiefs at Stellenbosch: A storm without the coach

    The pressure on Amakhosi to deliver this season was already immense; now they must start it without head coach Nasreddine Nabi, who is temporarily away due to a family emergency.

    Their season-opener out in the Western Cape against a confident Stellenbosch side is a true baptism of fire. Stellies come into this fixture having dispatched AmaZulu in the MTN8 and are confident.  

    For Chiefs, it’s a brutal assignment. New signings are still bedding in, leadership is uncertain and the fan base is restless. This match will offer the first clue: has something truly changed, or is it déjà vu all over again?


  • Oswin Appollis, Orlando Pirates, July 2025Backpagepix

    Orlando Pirates vs Sekhukhune United: A statement or a setback?

    Pirates’ convincing win over Polokwane City in the MTN8 showed a side with discipline, composure and depth. This weekend, they welcome Sekhukhune United, who themselves are riding high after outplaying TS Galaxy last weekend.  

    It’s a fascinating clash of ambition: Pirates are chasing a league title after years of cup glory, while Sekhukhune want to prove last season’s rise wasn’t a one-season wonder.

    Can Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men impose themselves early and show they’re serious about staying in Sundowns’ rear-view mirror? Or will Sekhukhune once again show they thrive when counted out?

  • Orbit College new signingsOrbit College Football Club on Facebook

    Big leap or big trouble for the new boys?

    Promoted to the top flight through the playoffs, Orbit College now face the brutal transition from National First Division competitiveness to PSL survival mode and history hasn’t been kind to playoff winners. 

    While Orbit open against AmaZulu, their bigger battle will be over the long run: adjusting to pace, pressure and punishment at the elite level. 

    Durban City (also new boys) and Polokwane City, the latter weakened by the loss of their key attacker Oswin Appollis to Pirates, haven’t shown much to dispel fears either. Early points will be gold for all three, but Orbit’s margin for error is razor-thin.   

  • Mamelodi Sundowns, May 2025Backpage

    Answers incoming, excuses expiring

    By the end of this first PSL weekend, we’ll know more. About Sundowns’ ruthlessness. Chiefs’ character. Pirates’ maturity. Stellies’ ambition. Sekhukhune’s consistency. Orbit’s resilience. And who, quietly, is already in trouble. 

    This isn’t just matchday one, it’s an audition for the season ahead. And in South African football, no one gets a second take when the lights are this bright. 

  • Abdeslam Ouaddou and Mandla Ncikazi, Orlando PiratesBackpage

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