Orlando Pirates are now standing on the edge of something the club has chased for more than a decade: the 2025/26 Betway Premiership title. The Buccaneers defeated Magesi FC 3-0 at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium to keep the pressure firmly on Mamelodi Sundowns, remaining three points behind the defending champions while holding a game in hand and boasting a superior goal difference. That equation means the title race is fully alive, and if Pirates win their remaining two fixtures against Durban City and ORBIT College, the league crown will return to Orlando for the first time in 14 years.
After weeks of avoiding open discussion about the title, head coach Abdesslam Ouaddou finally let the emotion slip following the victory in Polokwane. The Moroccan praised the club’s development structures and management, noting that he is not surprised by the work being done throughout the organization. “We pray to God to maybe follow their path, we still have two games definitely we want to make our fans happy – 14 or 15 years without a title, I think we start to smell it, we are close but we cannot touch the trophy,” Ouaddou said, words that will excite supporters who have watched Sundowns dominate while the Buccaneers collected cup trophies instead.
There is now a different feeling around Orlando Pirates, with visible confidence that remains calm even during difficult matches. Sundowns still control their own destiny with their final fixture against TS Galaxy, but Pirates know any slip-up from the Brazilians could completely change the picture. Ouaddou acknowledged the supporters who have followed the team through frustrating years without league success, vowing to fight for them until the end. For Pirates fans, the maths is simple: two more wins could finally end the long wait stretching back to 2012, and the smell of league glory is growing stronger at the Orlando Amstel Arena.