Oswin Appollis celebrates victory against Magesi this past weekend.
Image: BackpagePix
So Mamelodi Sundowns finished their 2025/2026 Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign on Tuesday night when they visited TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium. That is all well and good, but it raises a question: what is the remaining significance of having the final two rounds of matches kicking off simultaneously?
The Betway Premiership is due to conclude on May 23, with all final-day matches kicking off at 3pm. The penultimate round, to be played this Saturday, will also see all matches kick off simultaneously at 3pm. Perennial Betway Premiership winners Sundowns will be observing the proceedings for both match days from a distance.
The reason is simple: they are playing in the CAF Champions League final. They host AS FAR in Tshwane on Friday in the first leg, before heading to Rabat for the second leg on Sunday, May 24. Talk about being victims of their own success; their involvement in the Champions League final compelled the PSL to adjust the schedule and move Sundowns' matches around.
Where it gets interesting is when you consider that Sundowns are involved in a tense, neck-and-neck battle for the Betway Premiership title — a title that has evaded Pirates for 14 years, and one that Sundowns have dominated for the past decade, winning it eight times consecutively leading up to this season.
Ahead of their fixture against Galaxy on Tuesday night, Sundowns had 68 points, three ahead of Pirates’ 65. With both teams capable of finishing on 71 points, the league seems set to be decided on goal difference. The weekend’s proceedings underlined that; Sundowns played first in the early afternoon and went on to score seven goals against Siwelele.
The match eventually finished 7-4 in favour of Sundowns. That scoreline minimised Pirates’ goal advantage to three goals. When Pirates took to the pitch a few hours later, they knew exactly what they needed to do to restore their cushion: score at least three goals. And that is exactly what they did, beating struggling Magesi 3-0 in front of throngs of supporters at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
With Sundowns finishing their league matches for the season on Tuesday night while Pirates still have two games to play, the question remains: what significance does it hold for the PSL to continue kicking off their final games simultaneously?
The general explanation for this practice is to "ensure sporting integrity and fairness, preventing teams from gaining an advantage by knowing rivals' results beforehand. This prevents match-fixing or collusion, ensuring all teams compete under the same pressure — crucial for deciding titles, continental spots, or relegation."
By playing their two remaining matches after Sundowns have completed their fixtures, Pirates will undoubtedly have an unfair advantage. As we speak, they know exactly — not only what they need to do in terms of winning — but exactly how many goals they require. Since the spectre of bribes and match-fixing is often linked to football, what exactly will stop them from doing just that?
What will stop Pirates from arranging with Durban City and Orbit College to fix the results and stage a win for the Buccaneers? City are among the richest clubs this season after bagging a R7 million Nedbank Cup winners’ cheque and are comfortably placed away from relegation.
Orbit, on the other hand, are also almost in the clear; a point above a play-off spot and three away from automatic relegation with two games to go. Honestly, they are perfect candidates to hand Pirates a win on the last day — especially if they can be assured that the penultimate round guarantees them security.
Ever heard of "You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours"? Let me be quiet before I am accused of saying too much!
You have to feel for Sundowns, though. Whatever the outcome regarding the league title after the Pirates games on the 23rd, they still have to play the return leg of the Champions League final the following day — whether they retain their domestic title or not.
That will require immense mental strength. However, the powers that be have decided; one can only wish them luck at this stage.