MTN8 final: Durban expects huge turnout for Pirates-Sundowns clash

Durban is preparing for another major football weekend when Orlando Pirates face Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 October.

Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm, with tickets due to go on sale online on Friday. The City expects more than 50,000 supporters and visitors to travel to eThekwini for the fixture, according to Mayor Cyril Xaba.

The anticipated attendance reflects the scale of previous major finals held at the stadium, where matches involving Orlando Pirates have attracted large crowds and delivered a significant boost to the local economy.

When Pirates met Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2023 MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium, an estimated 60,000 supporters travelled to Durban. The municipality said the event generated R43 million in direct spending and added a further R108 million to the local GDP.

Demand for tickets was particularly strong. They went on sale at 3pm on a Thursday and the match was sold out by 9am the following morning – just 18 hours later.

Moses Mabhida hosted the final again the next year, when Pirates played Stellenbosch. More than 60,000 spectators attended that match, which was also sold out.

KwaZulu-Natal officials said hotels and other accommodation providers in eThekwini were fully booked as fans arrived from outside the province. The PSL confirmed that tickets for the 2024 Pirates-Stellenbosch final had sold out within four hours.

The 2025 Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Pirates offered another indication of the demand for high-profile football in Durban. Of the tickets released to the public, 41,000 were sold in approximately 90 minutes, according to reports on the ticketing process.

That final was also expected to provide a substantial economic return. It was projected to generate more than R93 million in direct economic impact, while its overall contribution to Durban’s GDP was forecast to exceed R230 million once indirect and induced effects were included.

Fans intending to attend this year’s final have been advised to arrange their travel and accommodation early. Tickets will cost R150 and will be available exclusively online through Open Tickets from 10am on Friday.

A maximum of four tickets will be permitted per transaction, and an online queue is expected because of the likely demand.

The City has urged visitors to plan their journeys in advance and use public transport where possible. It is also working with the PSL, stadium management, law enforcement and emergency services on arrangements for matchday.

Further information on transport, traffic management, fan parks and other activities is still to be announced.

Previous finals have shown how the MTN8 can transform Durban into a football and tourism hub, with visitors spending on accommodation, restaurants, transport, entertainment and other local businesses.

With Pirates and Sundowns meeting in the final again three years after their previous MTN8 encounter at the same stadium, the city is preparing for another potentially large weekend.