Orlando Pirates News Today: MTN8 final sells out amid chaos, Bucs told how to match Downs & more

Latest Orlando Pirates news, including the scramble for tickets ahead of Saturday’s MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns and a former Soweto rival’s verdict on what the Buccaneers still lack.

MTN8 final sold out, but ticketing glitches annoy fans

Orlando Pirates’ MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns is officially a sell-out, with tickets for Saturday’s showdown at Moses Mabhida Stadium snapped up by late Friday evening.

The Durban venue will host the season’s first domestic cup final on October 10, the latest installment of a game that has become a fixture of its own — this is the fourth meeting between the two clubs in the competition in five seasons.

The rapid sell-out wasn’t without its problems. The rush for seats set off widespread digital ticketing outages on Friday, with large numbers of supporters locked out of the system as demand overwhelmed the platform.

League and event organisers have since confirmed that no physical tickets will be available, either at the stadium or through retail outlets — access is digital-only.

Gates open at 14h00 to allow time for security checks and pre-match entertainment, and fans, including children, will need pre-downloaded mobile passes. Screenshots and printed tickets will not be accepted at the turnstiles.

Middendorp on what Pirates must do to catch Sundowns

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp believes Orlando Pirates have closed the gap on Mamelodi Sundowns on the pitch, but says the club still needs a permanent headquarters of its own before it can compete with the African champions at the very top.

Unlike Sundowns, who operate out of their Chloorkop base, or Chiefs, who have their Naturena Village, Pirates don’t own a dedicated training campus. The Buccaneers currently rely on rented property and municipal leases dotted around Johannesburg, a reflection of the club’s more asset-light approach to its business.

Asked by KickOff whether Pirates had narrowed the gap with Sundowns in squad quality and results, Middendorp didn’t hold back in his assessment of where the Buccaneers stand.

“Orlando Pirates are definitely on a good path towards reaching Mamelodi Sundowns’ level in terms of the overall infrastructure and what the club has established over the past couple of years.”

“A great deal is happening behind the scenes, including recruitment, the development of an identity, progress in the development side, what the club achieved in the DDC last year, and changes in the coaching department,” he added.

“I think Orlando Pirates are currently the closest to Sundowns. They need to focus more on infrastructure and establish their own campus. That is something Pirates definitely need in order to compete nationally and internationally at the level of a team like Sundowns.”