Moses Mabhida Stadium will host the MTN8 2026 tournament final on October 10th. The match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns is expected to attract over 50,000 fans and visitors to the city of Durban.
The Professional Soccer League (PSL) has officially confirmed Moses Mabhida Stadium as the venue for the final match, scheduled to begin at 18:00. This game will mark the tenth MTN8 final to be held at the stadium in Durban.
Opportunities for Local Business
Mayor Ethekwini, Cyril Shaba, stated that hosting the final will create favorable conditions for the growth of local businesses. This includes traders, small and medium enterprises (SMMEs), hotels, transport operators, and creative workers.
Shaba noted that visitors coming to the city for the match will have the opportunity to explore the beaches, tourist attractions, hospitality offerings, restaurants, and other local commercial establishments. He added that he expects more than 50,000 fans and guests in Ethekwini and urges them not only to attend the game but also to extend their stay to explore all the tourism products and attractions that Ethekwini offers.
Municipal Expenses
Despite the city highlighting the expected economic benefits from hosting the final, it did not provide a total figure for the expenses the Ethekwini municipality will incur to organize the event. The municipality reported that it is preparing for an increased demand for services in security, traffic management and transport, emergency and medical assistance, waste management, cleanliness, and crowd control.
Previous Finals in Durban
Previous MTN8 finals demonstrate why the city views this match as an opportunity for the local economy. When Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns met in the MTN8 2023 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Ethekwini estimated that about 60,000 football fans arrived in Durban. The municipality calculated that this event generated 43 million rand in direct spending, as well as an additional contribution of 108 million rand to the local GDP.
More recently, Ethekwini projected that the Nedbank Cup 2025 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium would generate over 93 million rand in direct economic impact and over 230 million rand including indirect and induced effects.