Mamelodi Sundowns retire Jayden Adams’ number eight for 2026-27 season

Mamelodi Sundowns will retire Jayden Adams’ number eight shirt for the 2026-27 season as a tribute to the midfielder, whose sudden death in July has left South African football in mourning.

The club confirmed the decision in honour of Adams, who was 25 when he died. His number will be withdrawn for one season, ensuring that the shirt he wore is not assigned to another Mamelodi Sundowns player during the forthcoming campaign.

The gesture is intended to recognise Adams’ importance to the club and the memories he created among supporters. Mamelodi Sundowns described the decision as a lasting tribute to a player whose influence on the club’s supporters will not be forgotten.

“ In honour of Jayden Adams, the number 8️⃣ jersey will be retired for the 2026/27 season. A fitting tribute to a player whose impact on the Yellow Nation will never be forgotten.”

The club also said the number would remain permanently associated with Adams’ memory and his place in the Mamelodi Sundowns family.

“The number 8 will forever carry Jayden Adams’ name, memories, and the place he holds in the Mamelodi Sundowns family,”

Adams’ death in July prompted an outpouring of grief across South Africa’s football community. Mamelodi Sundowns’ decision to retire his shirt for the 2026-27 season gives the club a formal way to remember him while the team begins preparations for the new campaign.

The number eight will therefore be absent from the squad’s available shirt numbers for the season. Although the retirement is currently confirmed for one campaign, the club’s stated message makes clear that the number will continue to represent Adams’ name, his memories and his connection with Mamelodi Sundowns.

The tribute comes as the South African football community continues to mourn the midfielder’s sudden passing. For the club, the retirement of the number is both a public acknowledgement of Adams’ impact and a mark of the place he holds within the Mamelodi Sundowns family.

The decision follows the original announcement that the club would honour the 25-year-old by withdrawing his number eight jersey for one season. It means Adams’ shirt will not simply be reassigned when the 2026-27 season begins, but will instead be kept as a symbol of remembrance.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ supporters are referred to by the club as the “Yellow Nation”, and the club’s statement specifically highlighted Adams’ impact on that community. The number eight will consequently carry significance beyond its role on the team sheet, representing the player and the memories attached to him.

For the 2026-27 season, no Mamelodi Sundowns player will wear number eight. The club has confirmed that the shirt will stand as a tribute to Jayden Adams and to the place he retains in the history and family of Mamelodi Sundowns.