Soweto derby fever has gripped Mzansi as South Africa’s biggest sporting showpiece draws ever closer.
Kaizer Chiefs will lock horns with arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in a sold-out clash at the iconic FNB Stadium in Nasrec on Saturday, 28 February.
Historic encounter
Thousands of supporters from Limpopo to the Western Cape, and further afield from Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia, Namibia and other countries are preparing to travel for this historic encounter, a rivalry that first began in 1970, shortly after the formation of Kaizer Chiefs.
In 183 previous meetings, Amakhosi have claimed victory 75 times, most recently in May during the Nedbank Cup final in Durban.
The Sea Robbers have triumphed on 49 occasions, while 54 matches have ended in draws. A handful of fixtures were abandoned for various reasons.
Wounded
Both teams enter the Soweto derby wounded: Kaizer Chiefs fell to Stellenbosch FC in their last league outing, while Orlando Pirates lost to Mamelodi Sundowns before being knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by first-division side, Casric Stars.
Amakhosi, however, are boosted by the return of several key players from injury, including Fiacre Ntwari, Thabo Cele, and Bradley Cross. Added to that was an impressive debut by Ethan Chislett against Stellenbosch.
On the Betway Premiership league table, the Phefeni Glamour Boys sit in fourth place with 30 points from 16 matches, while the Buccaneers occupy second spot with 38 points from 17 games.
Sold out
The match is sold out, and fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the festivities, which will feature performances headlined by Boohle, Vigro Deep, Tman Xpress, Ch’cco, popular DJs and many other artists.
Early birds will be rewarded as sponsors Vodacom, Carling Black Label, SuperSportBet, and Toyota will host activations, with the first 20 000 fans receiving special goodie bags.
In addition, Carling Black Label and Kaizer Chiefs will give one lucky supporter the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The Soweto derby kicks off at 15:30 and will be broadcast live on SABC 1, SuperSport Channel 202 on DStv, and across various SABC radio stations in multiple languages for all those who don’t have tickets.
Prediction
Kaizer Chiefs 1-1 Orlando Pirates
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