The MTN8 has delivered exactly the kind of drama that makes cup football irresistible, and the prize is now a mouth-watering final between South African football giants Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sundowns booked their place in the final in dramatic fashion on Sunday after overturning a first-leg deficit against Golden Arrows, winning 3-2 at the King Zwelithini Stadium in to level the semi-final tie 3-3 on aggregate.
The Brazilians advanced on the away-goals rule after scoring three times in Durban, compared with Arrows’ single away goal in the first leg.
Their reward is a blockbuster meeting with defending champions Pirates, who had already secured their passage to the final with a commanding 4-0 aggregate victory over Sekhukhune United.
It sets up a final between two of the most decorated and competitive teams in South African football, a contest steeped in history, rivalry and recent cup success.
A final worthy of the MTN8
Pirates will arrive with enormous confidence after dominating the competition in recent years. The Buccaneers are chasing a fifth consecutive MTN8 crown, having won the previous four editions.
Sundowns, meanwhile, will be determined to end their relatively modest return in a competition they have traditionally found difficult to dominate despite their extraordinary success in the league and continental football.
The Brazilians’ only MTN8 triumph in the modern era came in 2021, while Pirates have established themselves as the competition’s dominant force in recent seasons.
But when these two giants meet, history often counts for little.
Their rivalry has produced some of the most memorable matches in the competition, including the 2023 MTN8 final, when Pirates beat Sundowns on penalties after a goalless draw.
A rivalry built on numbers
The historical head-to-head makes fascinating reading.
According to the Premier Soccer League, Pirates and Sundowns have met 114 times across their history by August 2025, with Sundowns holding the overall advantage: 47 victories to Pirates’ 34, with 33 draws. Sundowns had also scored 150 goals to Pirates’ 109.
Their MTN8 rivalry, however, is considerably tighter.
The clubs have repeatedly crossed paths in the tournament, particularly in the semi-finals. Pirates have historically enjoyed the edge in crucial knockout encounters, while Sundowns have also produced some emphatic victories.
One of the most famous came in 1990, when Sundowns demolished Pirates 6-1 in the MTN8 quarter-finals then known as BP Top 8 Quarterfinals. That result remained a landmark in the rivalry until Pirates suffered an even heavier 6-0 league defeat to Sundowns in 2016.
The modern history of the competition, however, has increasingly favoured the Buccaneers.
Pirates eliminated Sundowns in the 2011-12 MTN8 semi-finals, winning 4-3 on aggregate, before repeating the feat in 2022-23 with a stunning 3-0 victory in the second leg to advance 3-0 on aggregate.
They then met again in the 2023 MTN8 final, where Pirates prevailed on penalties after another tense 0-0 draw.
More than just another final
This will not simply be a battle for the MTN8 trophy.
It will be another chapter in one of the country’s defining football rivalries, between a Pirates side that has made the MTN8 its territory and a Sundowns outfit determined to prove that its dominance extends beyond the league and continental stage.
The final will also carry the weight of recent history. Pirates have repeatedly found ways to overcome Sundowns when the stakes are highest in this competition, while Sundowns will believe their quality and resilience can finally turn the tide.
After the extraordinary away-goal escape against Arrows, Sundowns now have their sights firmly set on Pirates.
And with the Buccaneers already waiting, South African football has been handed a final that promises history, rivalry, pressure and potentially another classic.
The MTN8 trophy is now down to two giants. Pirates versus Sundowns on 10 October, at a venue yet to be confirmed.
