It is MTN8 Cup time as the South African Premier League season kicks off with the competition’s four quarter-finals this weekend.
This is a single-leg, straight-knockout competition, with the top eight teams from last season’s Betway Premiership battling to add the season’s first silverware to their cupboards.
The teams are seeded based on their league position at the end of last season. On Sunday, the No. 3-seeded Stellenbosch face No. 6 seed AmaZulu, and, in what should theoretically be the easiest match, top seed Mamelodi Sundowns faces No. 8 seed Richards Bay.
A notable team not in the competition is the Kaizer Chiefs, who finished ninth in the Premier League last term.
Stellenbosch VS AmaZulu
Sunday, 3 August – Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
The second day of matches kicks off in Cape Town, where Stellenbosch hosts AmaZulu. These two sides finished 13 points apart last season, with the hosts picking up 48 points and qualifying for the 2025-26 CAF Cup. The visitors finished on 35 points, but their -5 goal difference over the course of the season is something that will need to be addressed if they are to come back and go again this campaign.
Stellenbosch has finished third for two seasons in a row. This is an astonishing feat given the number of players they have lost to other sides. Much of their recruitment has come through promoting players through their system, but you have to wonder for how long that will be a viable option.
AmaZulu will bring an experienced squad to Cape Town and think they have a good shot at causing the weekend’s biggest upset. Players like Ben Motshwari, Richard Ofori, and Bongani Zungu have more than enough in their lockers to cause problems. This is especially true with the Stellies losing the likes of Fawaaz Basadien and Tylon Smith from last season.
This is my pick for an upset, as I see AmaZulu doing enough to steal this one.
Mamelodi Sundowns VS Richards Bay
Sunday, 3 August – Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria
How tired are Sundowns and how deep is their squad?
The hosts are quickly back in action after their Club World Cup campaign, which netted them north of $12 million USD. They looked the part, too, drawing with Fluinesnse, losing by one to European giants Borussia Dortmund, then beating Korean side Ulsan HD.
This might be Basadien’s debut spot. The defender moved to Sundowns from Stellenbosch this summer.
This will be the first time that Richards Bay has competed in the MTN8 Cup. It is an extraordinary achievement for a side that finished 13th and 15th in its first two years since promotion to the Premiership. Last season was a breakthrough year, which was well-received around the country.
It is a team almost entirely made up of South African players, and there is no pressure on them here as massive underdogs. A fairytale win is possible, but Sundowns have such a massive squad and serious financial clout. They will be too much over 90 minutes here.
