Durban adds rail services and fan park for sold-out MTN8 final

Durban is preparing for an expected 50,000-plus supporters and visitors as Orlando Pirates meet Mamelodi Sundowns in the sold-out 2026 MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

The match, which kicks off at 18:00, has prompted KwaZulu-Natal authorities to increase transport services and establish a free public viewing area on the beachfront.

eThekwini Municipality says it is working with the Premier Soccer League (PSL), stadium management, law enforcement agencies and emergency services to coordinate operations around the final.

Mayor Cyril Xaba said the city was ready to host the match, which is expected to draw fans from across the country.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has extended services on five routes serving uMlazi, KwaMashu, Pinetown, Crossmoor and the South Coast. Return fares on each route will cost R20.

A shuttle service between Durban Station and Moses Mabhida Station will run every 30 minutes from 1pm to 6pm. Return trains will operate between 20:00 and 22:00, while the last shuttle connection to Durban Station will run until 10.30pm.

Limited park-and-ride facilities will be available at Durban Station, uMlazi Station and KwaMnyandu Shopping Centre. Parking will cost R50 per vehicle.

Free viewing area for supporters without tickets

Supporters who do not have match tickets will be able to watch the final at a free fan park at Bay of Plenty Beach on the Durban beachfront.

The venue can hold up to 5,000 people. Its gates will open at 12 noon, with live entertainment scheduled before kick-off, and the site will close at 10pm.

Meanwhile, Open Tickets chief executive Marnus van Niekerk has rejected suggestions that supporters from KwaZulu-Natal were unfairly treated during the ticketing process.

Speaking at a PSL media briefing at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Van Niekerk said almost 60% of the 49,000 available tickets were bought by people based in KwaZulu-Natal. Gauteng had the second-highest number of purchases.

“There is a narrative that people from KZN didn’t get a fair opportunity to buy tickets; we can absolutely say that is not true,” Van Niekerk said.

“There was a queuing system that was fair to everyone; everyone had the same opportunity, and we had the statistics to back it up.”

He added that the ticketing servers handled more than 20,000 simultaneous requests during the first 10 minutes after sales opened on October 2.

The sold-out final will see Orlando Pirates attempt to win the MTN8 for a fifth successive time. Mamelodi Sundowns are seeking to regain the trophy, having last lifted it in 2021.