Sundowns face relentless fixture test as Cardoso targets success on every front

Mamelodi Sundowns manager Miguel Cardoso is preparing for an intense stretch of the 2026/27 season, with three new competitions beginning within three weeks while the African champions continue their Betway Premiership campaign.

Sundowns have already lifted the African-Asian-Pacific Cup and MTN8 this season. Their next challenge begins on Saturday, when they travel to Angola to face Wiliete Sport Clube de Benguela in the opening match of their CAF Champions League title defence.

That fixture will be followed by a Carling Knockout first-round meeting with Marumo Gallants. The CAF Super Cup will then take place shortly before the November FIFA dates.

The schedule will remain demanding beyond that period. Sundowns must also maintain their league commitments before travelling to the Middle East in December for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Cardoso said the club’s objectives applied equally to every competition, with no tournament being treated as secondary.

“The responsibility that we have in all competitions is to make the best. The Champions League is obviously the next stage, and we have to perform at the stage. Then after that we can go to the group stages and take it from there. We need to be serious in everything we do and playing in any tournament with our shirt is always a responsibility,” Cardoso said.

The Portuguese coach also warned his players not to allow their successful start to the campaign to reduce their concentration. He said football could change quickly and urged the squad to remain disciplined and committed as the matches continued to arrive.

“The team is happy now, but football changes a lot quickly, so we need to be very focused… keep our feet on the ground, be serious, humble, and work strong every day so that we can keep the pace in the right direction,” he added.

Carling Knockout provides extra incentive

Sundowns’ Carling Knockout tie carries additional significance because Marumo Gallants were the team that eliminated them from the competition last season.

Cardoso said the nature of knockout football created a distinctive atmosphere, while making clear that Sundowns were determined to compete for the trophy.

“A knockout match is always a special match. There is always some different energy. There is always something that we feel the ambience, tension, no one likes to lose whenever. This is a beautiful tournament, and everyone would like to win and put their name on this trophy,” he said.

With fixtures scheduled across several competitions, Cardoso stressed that managing his squad effectively would be essential. Rotation and player welfare will be particularly important as Sundowns attempt to keep their strongest players available throughout the campaign.

“For us, as Mamelodi Sundowns, we need to understand that some of the fixtures come in between matches, are so important and we need to manage our players to arrive at the strongest point as strong as we can,” Cardoso concluded.