Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs Went Unpaid to Save South Africa’s PSL, Says Chairman Irvin Khoza

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs went without pay for two months to help keep South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) alive, chairman Dr Irvin Khoza has revealed.

Khoza said the two biggest clubs in the country prioritised the financial survival of smaller teams during a period when the league was under severe pressure.

The disclosure comes as the PSL marks its 30th anniversary. Over three decades, the competition has developed into Africa’s most successful domestic football league, securing major broadcast agreements and attracting substantial commercial investment.

Khoza said Pirates and Chiefs had also made significant financial sacrifices during the league’s formative years. Under the previous system, the clubs could have benefited from their large travelling support whenever they played away from home.

“People don’t understand the sacrifices we made. Under the old system, whenever Pirates or Chiefs travelled, the home club often made more money than we did because our supporters filled stadiums everywhere,” Khoza told iDiski Times.

Rather than retain that advantage, the clubs supported a new model in which home teams kept their own gate receipts, while broadcasting became the league’s primary source of income.

“We could easily have protected that advantage. Instead, we decided clubs should keep their own gate takings and that broadcasting – not ticket sales – should become football’s main income stream.

“That was a huge sacrifice. But we believed that if you’re the market leader, as we both were due to our clubs, you have a responsibility to strengthen the market. That’s where our philosophy came from. Compete for 90 minutes. Cooperate afterwards.”

Khoza also explained why the PSL was reduced from 18 teams to 16. He said the decision was part of austerity measures introduced when the league was close to collapse.

“Without a doubt, it was. We had to do it for austerity measures. And during that period, Pirates and Chiefs even went unpaid for two months,” he added.

“We said the other clubs must receive their money first because if they collapsed, the league collapsed. Those are the sacrifices people never see.”

Khoza discussed the league’s creation, its battle to gain the confidence of corporate South Africa and the importance of building a stable football institution in an extensive interview with iDiski Times senior writer Matshelane Mamabolo.

He said the PSL’s greatest achievement was not its trophies or television deals, but the creation of an enduring organisation capable of supporting professional football in South Africa.