Orlando Pirates have handed six members of their record-breaking DStv Diski Challenge side the chance to train with the first team as the new era under head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou begins. The young Buccaneers reported for the opening day of pre-season training alongside the senior squad, with defenders Cristian Derbyshire and Mpho Mphekgoane being assessed as central options, Tshepo Mhlambi featuring at left-back, and midfielders Simphiwe Masilela, Lebohang Mohlale and Lungelo Dondolo looking to catch the eye. Their promotion comes after a historic 2025-26 campaign in which Roscoe Krieling’s DDC team claimed their first-ever Diski Challenge title, finishing with an astonishing 75 points to break Kaizer Chiefs’ previous record of 70.
Ouaddou is expected to closely monitor the sextet throughout pre-season, and the group could travel to Spain for the next phase of preparations. The club’s youth system has become a