Pirates must build their own base to challenge Sundowns, says Middendorp

Orlando Pirates are the closest South African club to Mamelodi Sundowns on the field, but they need to establish a permanent headquarters before they can compete with the PSL champions at the highest level, according to Ernst Middendorp.

Pirates have the strongest squad in the league after Sundowns, yet they remain without a dedicated “village” or campus comparable to Sundowns’ headquarters in Chloorkop or Kaizer Chiefs’ Village in Naturena.

Instead, the Buccaneers have followed an asset-light business model centred on developing their brand rather than owning major football facilities.

Chiefs and Sundowns each operate multimillion-rand headquarters, while Pirates use rented property and municipal leases in Johannesburg.

The club’s training base is Rand Stadium, which is owned by the City of Johannesburg. Pirates also rent their corporate offices in Houghton, while their home matches are played at Orlando Stadium, officially known commercially as the Orlando Amstel Arena. That venue is also owned by the City of Johannesburg.

Middendorp was asked by KickOff whether Pirates had narrowed the gap with Sundowns in terms of player quality and performances on the pitch. He said the Buccaneers could go beyond the Brazilians if they had their own headquarters and broader infrastructure.

“Orlando Pirates are definitely on a good path towards reaching Mamelodi Sundowns’ level in terms of the overall infrastructure and what the club has established over the past couple of years,” Middendorp told KickOff.

“A great deal is happening behind the scenes, including recruitment, the development of an identity, progress in the development side, what the club achieved in the DDC last year, and changes in the coaching department.”

Middendorp believes those developments have taken Pirates closer to Sundowns, but says the club must now invest in a permanent home if it wants to match them domestically and internationally.

“I think Orlando Pirates are currently the closest to Sundowns,” he said. “They need to focus more on infrastructure and establish their own campus. That is something Pirates definitely need in order to compete nationally and internationally at the level of a team like Sundowns.”

The comments come as Pirates continue to build their playing squad and football operation while relying on facilities that are either rented or controlled by the municipality. For Middendorp, creating a central base would be the next significant step in the club’s progress.