Orlando Pirates FC players celebrate after they won the 2025/26 Betway premiership trophy. Photo: Supplied
Orlando Pirates have relegated Orbit College FC to be crowned the 2025/26 Betway premiership champions. The Buccaneers defeated the college boys by 2-0 in the last game of the season that was played at the Mbombela stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Soweto giants finished the season with 69 points leaving the defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns as runners-up with just a point.
The Betway premiership success recorded a treble for Abdeslam Ouaddou troops as they earlier won Carling Black Label and MNT 8. They have also qualified to play in next year’s Caf Champions league.
The Moroccan was appointed in June 2025 after a short spell with Marumo Gallants. He guided the club to their first South African top-flight league title in 14 years, ending Mamelodi Sundowns’ long dominance.
The 2025/26 season was a season that left many football fanatics with a lot of questions or criticism with how it ended compared to previous seasons where all the games would be played on the same day to decide the winner and the relegation.
With about five games remaining, it was clear that the championship race was between the two team Sundowns and Pirates. However, for the Pretoria based outfit the season ended early with Pirates still to play two more games to decide the title.
The Sundowns fixture was affected as they had to be given time to prepare for the continental finale against FAR Rabat of Morocco. They played their Caf Champions league final on their home ground last week Sunday where they narrowly won 1-0 while the second leg was scheduled a day after the completion of Betway premiership.
