How Much Orlando Pirates Will Earn if They Win the Betway Premiership Title

How Much Orlando Pirates Will Earn if They Win the Betway Premiership Title

  • Orlando Pirates are now within touching distance of ending one of the longest title droughts in the club’s modern history
  • The Buccaneers could walk away with a massive financial reward if they finish above Mamelodi Sundowns in the final standings
  • Former club captain Lucky Lekgwathi has shared why he believes the Betway Premiership trophy is finally returning to Soweto

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Orlando Pirates are on the verge of ending a 14-year Premiership title drought, as they are now just one win away from becoming South Africa's champions.

Orlando Pirates, Abdeslam Ouaddou, Betway Premier Soccer League
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou joined the club at the beginning of the 2025/26 season.Image:@orlandopirates
Source: Instagram

Moroccan coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, who was appointed at the beginning of the season following Jose Riveiro's departure, is on the cusp of bringing the coveted trophy to Mayfair in what would be a remarkable feat for the former Marumo Gallants gaffer.

Orlando Pirates' title race against Mamelodi Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns have dominated completely, having lifted the trophy a record eight times, and the Buccaneers are just about to end that stranglehold. In the process, the Irvin Khoza-led club could also rake in millions of rands from the expected prize money earnings.

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Pirates are currently on 65 points after 28 matches, while the defending champions, Sundowns, are at the apex, albeit with a slender three-point lead. It is an advantage to Pirates, as they have a game in hand and a significant +7 goal difference.

Pirates’ next match is on Saturday, 16 May 2026, against Durban City before wrapping up their campaign against Orbit College on 23 May. Both these matches are perfect opportunities for Pirates to edge Sundowns and finally bring the trophy to Soweto.

Orlando Pirates possible earnings if they win the league

Apart from the glory of lifting the trophy, there is also the big prospect of enriching the club’s pockets if they win the Premier League title. What is at stake is a massive R20 million in prize money.

Let’s look at the mathematical chances of Pirates clinching the title by Saturday. A slender 1-0 win over the Nedbank Cup winners, Durban City, would mean that for the Buccaneers to forfeit the title, they would have to lose by a hugely improbable 9-0 margin to Orbit College.

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Relebohile Mofokeng, Orlando Pirates, Betway Premier League
Relebohile Mofokeng has been one of the most outstanding players for Orlando Pirates this season. Image:@orlandopirates
Source: Instagram

So, a win on Saturday would realistically be enough for them to be crowned champions. No two ways about it. It would take a miracle at this point to take the trophy away from Soweto. Pirates are currently on an 11-game unbeaten run (W8 D3) and have conceded just three goals in their last seven games while scoring 22 themselves, which is more than three goals per match.

They defeated Durban City 2-0 in the reverse fixture in November 2025.

Orlando Pirates legend Lucky Lekgwathi believes the trophy is indeed coming home. Speaking ahead of the final stretch of games, Lekgwathi said:

“For me, I think it’s just to take one game at a time for Pirates.
“Obviously, in the end, if they make sure that they win their game on Saturday, they will be on the same points as Sundowns. And that is going to give them motivation to go to the end.''

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Kaizer Chiefs make a major announcement

Briefly News also reported that Kaizer Chiefs unveiled a new milestone in the club's history on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

The Soweto giants joined the likes of Betway Premiership sides Mamelodi Sundowns, TS Galaxy and Stellenbosch FC to have such an incredible feat.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Ncube Harrison avatar

Ncube Harrison (Sports Editor) Harrison Ncube is a sports journalist with years of experience covering African and global sports. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the Zimbabwe Open University and previously worked at Sports Buzz (2018–2022), freelanced for Sports Journal (2023–2024), and contributed to Radio 54 African Panorama Live (2021–2023). He joined Briefly News in February 2025. For inquiries, reach him at ncube.harrison@briefly.co.za.