As the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season draws to a close, Kaizer Chiefs still find themselves outside of the MTN8 spots, with only one match remaining to secure a top 8 finish.
Due to the expulsion of Royal AM, all teams will now play just 28 matches, leaving Amakhosi with only one chance to ensure their place in next season’s lucrative MTN8 tournament. Chiefs’ final match will be a home fixture against seventh-placed Polokwane City next weekend.
If the season ended today, this is how the MTN8 line-up would look:
- Mamelodi Sundowns vs Chippa United
- Orlando Pirates vs Polokwane City
- Stellenbosch FC vs AmaZulu
- Sekhukhune United vs TS Galaxy
Kaizer Chiefs’ remaining 2024/25 Betway Premiership fixture:
- Saturday, 24 May: Kaizer Chiefs vs Polokwane City – 15:00
A Glimpse at the Rivalry Between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates
South Africa’s football rivalry between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates remains one of the fiercest. Every season, the anticipation surrounding their matches is unmatched, with both fanbases only having one priority: the Soweto derby.
In the 28 seasons of the PSL since its inception in 1996/97, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have each finished ahead of the other 14 times. The largest difference in league positions occurred in the 2016/17 season when Chiefs finished seven places above Pirates, and the biggest gap in favor of Pirates came in the 2023/24 season with an eight-place difference.
Recent Form: Pirates Outshining Chiefs
In recent years, Orlando Pirates have often outperformed Kaizer Chiefs. In the past seven seasons, Pirates have finished ahead of Chiefs five times. After the current season, this stat will rise to six out of the last eight seasons.
It’s mathematically impossible for Kaizer Chiefs to finish ahead of Orlando Pirates this year, and with the current form, Pirates are set to beat Chiefs by a record margin of points — potentially even positions in the standings.
Title History: Who Has the Most?
While both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have each won the league four times, they remain far behind Mamelodi Sundowns, who have claimed an impressive 15 titles. SuperSport United (3) and teams like Manning Rangers, Santos, and Wits (one title each) make up the rest of the list of champions.
