Soweto Derby: Stadium Management addresses venue confusion

Stadium Management South Africa has stepped in to clarify the uncertainty surrounding the venue for the upcoming Soweto Derby, scheduled for the end of October.

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) website currently lists the Orlando Amstel Arena as the location for the highly-anticipated clash between Orlando Pirates and their rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, on October 31, 2026.

This listing sparked widespread debate among football fans on social media, questioning the choice of the 40,000-capacity Orlando Stadium over the derby’s traditional home, the 94,000-seater FNB Stadium.

However, Bertie Grobbelaar, the managing director of Stadium Management South Africa, has confirmed that a final decision has not yet been made. He explained that discussions with Orlando Pirates’ management are still pending to finalise the details.

Which venue will host the Soweto Derby?

“The fixture will always say Orlando Stadium because it’s Orlando Pirates’ home game, but then there’s negotiations going on, so it’s not decided yet,” Grobbelaar told KickOff.

“It’s not being decided yet. But you can check, in all previous years, it always says Orlando Stadium when it’s Pirates’ game. But nothing has been confirmed yet. We hadn’t had negotiations yet; we will meet next week with the club. It’s always been like that, it’s their home fixture and their home grounds,” he added.

With negotiations set to take place, the possibility remains that the iconic fixture could be moved to the larger FNB Stadium.

Such a move would allow a greater number of supporters to attend one of the most significant matches on the African football calendar.