Mamelodi Sundowns v Orlando Pirates: MTN8 final will match Champions League intensity, says Miguel Cardoso

Mamelodi Sundowns manager Miguel Cardoso says Saturday’s MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates will be played at “the same level as a Champions League match” as his side attempt to end a four-year wait for a domestic cup.

The final takes place at Moses Mabhida Stadium at 18:00, with Sundowns facing the most successful cup side in South African football in recent seasons. Orlando Pirates have won six of the past eight domestic cup competitions and are seeking a fifth consecutive MTN8 title.

The Buccaneers also ended Sundowns’ eight-season reign as Betway Premiership champions last term, winning their first league title. They completed a treble in Abdeslam Ouaddou’s first campaign as coach, their first since achieving the feat in successive seasons in 2010/11 and 2011/12.

Sundowns responded to their domestic disappointment by winning a second Caf Champions League title, following their 2016 success. They have also begun 2026/27 strongly, defeating Al Ahli Saudi to win the 2026 Fifa African-Asian-Pacific Cup last month.

Although the MTN8 has traditionally been lower on Sundowns’ list of priorities, the chance to avenge last season’s league setback and end a domestic cup drought dating back to 2021 has increased the importance of the match.

Asked how the final compared with May’s 2026 Champions League final, in which Sundowns beat Morocco’s FAR Rabat 2-1 on aggregate, and their recent African-Asian fixture, Cardoso said the domestic contest carried major significance.

“I think for South Africa this is an important one. If we take all the fans in South Africa who love the game, maybe most are more worried about what happens inside the country than internationally,” he said.

“But it’s not about what is more important. For us, every trophy and every competition is important.

“We know how we have to play in every stage of every competition and we know international level is very important for this club. We also know the difficulty of international level is so high. So when we are there we need to play the best to represent not only ourselves but the country.

“But we know the stature of a match like this. We take nothing away from that, we want to do well.

“For some time myself and the coaching staff have never played a [domestic] cup final. So it’s also an important moment for us.”

Sundowns face Richards Bay FC in Durban on the Tuesday after the final before playing Angola’s Wiliete SC the following weekend in a qualifier for the Champions League group stage.

Cardoso said the schedule made player fitness particularly important, but insisted Sundowns would approach the final with full commitment.

“It will be a high-level match at the same level as a Champions League match, absolutely, because Orlando Pirates are also a high-level team full of quality players,” he said.

Central midfielders Teboho Mokoena and Bathusi Aubaas, along with left-back Aubrey Modiba, are doubts after suffering injuries while playing for Bafana Bafana during last week’s international window.

Cardoso said he would “never put a player to play unless he’s 100% fit”. Medical assessments have been encouraging, although the three decisions will be made at the last minute with the remainder of the season in mind.

Sundowns’ last domestic cup success came in the 2021/22 Nedbank Cup final, when they beat Marumo Gallants 2-1 after extra time in May 2022.