Orlando Pirates join Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in adidas 2026/27 campaign

Orlando Pirates have been selected as the only African club among 19 teams featured in adidas’ global campaign for the 2026/27 season, appearing alongside some of the biggest names in world football.

The Buccaneers are part of a high-profile group assembled by the German sportswear company, which also includes Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester United. Their inclusion places Orlando Pirates among adidas’ leading club partners as the brand promotes its latest collection of football kits.

The South African side are the sole representatives from Africa in the campaign. Their participation gives the club a prominent position in adidas’ worldwide launch for the new season and underlines their status within the company’s international line-up.

adidas introduced the campaign through a striking group image shared across its social media platforms. The post carried the tagline: “we are so back – new season, new chaos, same love for the game.”

Bafana Bafana midfielder Thalente Mbatha features in the promotional material. He is pictured among a collection of internationally recognised players, including Jude Bellingham, Lionel Messi and Luis Diaz.

The campaign brings together clubs and players from several major football markets. Alongside Orlando Pirates, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester United, the wider line-up includes AS Roma, Aston Villa, Ajax, Benfica, Lyon, Fenerbahce, Flamengo, Boca Juniors, River Plate and Club America.

The group image offers an early indication of the designs adidas has developed for the 2026/27 campaign. The new range combines the traditional colours associated with each club with distinctive patterns and the sportswear brand’s latest kit templates.

For Orlando Pirates, the campaign provides an international showcase at a time when adidas is presenting its upcoming club collections across the world. The club’s presence alongside European and South American giants means the Buccaneers are being marketed as part of the same global football story.

Mbatha’s appearance also adds a South African presence to the promotional imagery, with the Bafana Bafana midfielder sharing the frame with some of the most prominent players associated with the adidas brand.

The campaign’s central message, “we are so back – new season, new chaos, same love for the game,” links the different clubs and competitions represented in the image while keeping the emphasis on the arrival of a new football season.

Orlando Pirates’ inclusion means supporters have been given an early glimpse of the direction adidas is taking with its 2026/27 designs. The club will be represented in a campaign that stretches from Europe to South America and North America, while remaining the only African team selected by the German sportswear giant.