Orlando Pirates news

After a disappointing campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, South Africa's focus is on the 2026 global football showpiece. Already, preparations have started in earnest as the football association has revealed the team's training base. The Belgian tactician has given reasons why the chosen training base will be the best for his players.

Second-placed Buccaneers are determined to topple Mamelodi Sundowns from the summit of the Premier Soccer League standings, while Amakhosi are equally motivated to climb up from fourth spot. The stakes are high in this match, with both giants sensing an opportunity to shift the balance at the top. A defender from the Sea Robbers believes the occasion carries a special intensity beyond just the bragging rights.

Just like the Buccaneers, the Glamour Boys hope to have their top stars available for the highly anticipated clash. Ahead of the showdown, Amakhosi coach has delivered an update on who could feature and who is ruled out entirely. The update includes a player who has not played for Amakhosi so far this year.

The Buccaneers have been grappling with a few fitness concerns in recent days, forcing the technical team to carefully manage player workloads. The coach has been trying to deal with the situation through a well-managed rotation policy, making full use of his huge squad. They now head into a clash against Amakhosi, a fixture that will provide another stern test of their depth.

The duel between South Africa's football giants is set to grab the limelight as the Premier Soccer League rivals from Soweto clash on Saturday. Both Amakhosi and the Buccaneers will need the points from the game to boost their chances of winning the league title. Apart from the three points up for grabs, the Sea Robbers and the Glamour Boys will be fighting for the fixture's bragging rights.

The absence of the midfielder from the Buccaneers starting line-up has been very conspicuous in the last few matches. What makes his absence even more noticeable is the fact that he had an impressive run in the first round of the season, and many expected the former Mamelodi Sundowns star to be as important in the second round. Should he continue to experience limited playtime, then his chances of making it into the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad will be jeopardised.

The former South Africa Under-23 star has been in the United States since January 2023, where he has steadily worked his way into the first team at his Major League Soccer club. The centre-back has grown with consistent performances at the heart of defence. His impressive outings have even sparked calls for him to be considered for senior national team duty with the South Africa national football team.

The two biggest rivals in South African football are set to meet for the first time this season in the top-tier assignment. Neither the Glamour Boys nor the Sea Robbers have been doing well in their recent games. However, with the bragging rights at stake, expect some thrilling football from the pair.

The former Buccaneers midfielder has insisted that just one single player at the Glamour Boys is good enough to break into Abdeslam Ouaddou's starting eleven right now. With both teams struggling for form ahead of the Soweto Derby, there will be several players dreaming of putting their hands up and being the hero for their club.

The Glamour Boys have suffered two defeats in a row and three in the last five games across all competitions. Despite having an arguably quality squad as compared to the previous seasons, Amakhosi are at risk of ending the ongoing campaign without a trophy after elimination from the Nedbank Cup and the CAF Confederation Cup has left just the league title available to them.

The ex-Glamour Boys player was arrested on October 9, 2025, in possession of an illegal substance by the Zimbabwe Police. The 35-year-old former Warriors international has been in custody since then as the authorities were putting together enough evidence to prove him guilty of the aforementioned offense.

How to watch the Premier Soccer League match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, as well as kick-off time and team news

Earlier in the 2025/26 season, the Premier Soccer League had four teams competing on the continent. Orlando Pirates were the only team that failed to make the group stage as they were undone by St Eloi Lupopo. Amakhosi were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup's pool phase alongside Stellenbosch. Currently, it is only Mamelodi Sundowns who are in the CAF Champions League quarter-final as the only Mzansi representative.