The Betway Premiership season resumes next week, and three teams—Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Kaizer Chiefs—are starting with completely different expectations, turning the debut weekend into the start of three separate title races rather than a single championship battle.
For Orlando Pirates, the task is not to catch up to the champions, but to become the team everyone wants to beat. The Buccaneers will begin defending their title against the recently promoted Milford FC at Orlando Stadium. They must prove that last season's historic success was the beginning of a new era, not a one-off achievement.
Pirates won the league title after a 14-year wait last season, completing a domestic treble under the guidance of Abdelsalam Waddu. However, this success has brought a new kind of pressure: they now need to maintain a high level while participating in multiple tournaments.
In addition to defending the title in the Premiership, Pirates must go through competitions like MTN8, the Carling Knockout Cup, the Nedbank Cup, and the CAF Champions League. This demands a deep squad, stability, and the ability to handle the workload in both domestic and continental football. Their Spanish pre-season camp highlighted the importance of building a squad capable of enduring a demanding schedule, where Waddu used the tour to assess options and develop tactical flexibility.
For Mamelodi Sundowns, the new season offers an opportunity to restore their dominant position in South African football. The Brazilians will kick off their campaign at home against Marumo Gallants, and expectations are immediately focused on returning to a winning style after losing the league lead last season.
Despite continental success and immense squad depth, Sundowns must prove something. For years, they have been the benchmark of South African football, dominating domestically and collecting trophies at an incredible rate. Now, their task is to answer the challenges.
Kaizer Chiefs is a club carrying perhaps the biggest expectations. The Glamour Boys will start their journey in an away match against the recently promoted Kruger United, which will immediately test whether their recent restructuring can yield results. Their return to MTN8 and participation in the CAF Confederation Cup are signs of progress, but the demand from Naturena fans remains clear: Chiefs must fight for major honors.
Fernando da Cruz and his technical team have been tasked with closing the gap on Pirates and Sundowns, with new signings expected to provide the necessary level for competition. This season raises an interesting question: has the balance of power shifted? Sundowns were the undisputed force for years, but Pirates' pursuit of a treble has changed the conversation, and Chiefs are trying to get back into the title race.
The first weeks may provide early answers. For Pirates, it is defending their throne; for Sundowns, restoring it; and for Chiefs, proving they still belong in this discussion. Matches are scheduled for Saturday: Orlando Pirates versus Milford, Stellenbosch versus AmaZulu, Golden Arrows versus Chippa United, Sekhukhune United versus Durban City, and Mamelodi Sundowns versus Marumo Gallants, as well as Kruger United versus Kaizer Chiefs. On Sunday, there will be games between Richards Bay versus Polokwane City and Siwelele versus TS Galaxy.
Khalil Ben Youssef, former coach of Kaizer Chiefs and representative of Isithombe, has been appointed as the head coach of Durban City. He is preparing to debut in the CAF tournament, where he faces a challenging task—a match against the current league champions, Orlando Pirates, in the MTN8 next month.
Ben Youssef begins the season with Durban after the team finished eighth in its first season in the Betway Premiership. This debut season started under the guidance of experienced coach Gavin Hunt, with Pitso Dladla as his assistant.
Despite securing a spot in the top eight bringing the team the heavy burden of facing the titled Orlando Pirates in the cup opener, Ben Youssef and Durban City hope that the Buccaneers do not possess the sharpness that characterized their previous campaign, given current transfer rumors.
Previously, while working as an assistant coach at Kaizer Chiefs, the Tunisian tactician faced Pirates in the Soweto Derby, which ended in a frustrating draw after a previous match where a painful 3-0 victory was secured.
Now Ben Youssef leads the new, motivated Durban City team, which carries significant pressure. They previously met at Orlando Stadium late last season when Dladla was in charge. Thanks to luck and strong defensive discipline, Durban managed to draw 0-0 with Pirates, thus delaying the Buccaneers' championship celebration.
Although Dladla led the club to historic glory in the Nedbank Cup, he lacks experience in the top league and the necessary CAF coaching qualifications. The latter are strict requirements for managing the team in the upcoming CAF Confederation Cup.
Club chairman Farook Kadodia previously stated that they would 'cross this bridge when we get there,' in response to Independent Media's questions regarding Dladla's CAF A license. Consequently, Dladla will return to the role of assistant coach, playing an important role in integrating Ben Youssef into the head coach position.
The visitors (Durban City) frustrated the highly motivated home team for all 90 minutes, defending numerically and preventing clear chances. It was a masterclass in rigid organization, which became a hallmark of their debut season in the top division.
This tenacious display by the KwaZulu-Natal side was not well received by the 'Ghost,' who watched his team still win the Premiership trophy a few days later. Pirates now enter this MTN8 match with the determination to start a new season with the first step towards defending their title. In Soweto, where expectations are very high, the Buccaneers know that any result other than a convincing victory will be regarded as an extremely disappointing start.
On the other hand, Durban City has its own high aspirations. Already having experience of success in the Nedbank Cup playoffs, the KZN side firmly believes that another tactical surprise in Orlando could pave the way to winning even more trophies.
