Pirates-Sundowns MTN8 final tickets rise to R150

The 2026 MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns will carry a general admission price of R150 when it is played at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 October.

Tickets will go on sale online on Friday 2 October, with the price representing a R50 increase on the R100 charged for general admission at earlier matches in the competition, including Orlando Pirates’ quarter-final against Durban City.

The higher cost has attracted attention, but the final is a significantly bigger occasion than a standard MTN8 fixture.

It brings together the reigning MTN8 champions, Orlando Pirates, and Mamelodi Sundowns, one of the dominant forces in South African football. Both clubs regularly reach the latter stages of domestic competitions and have built recent trophy records that have added significance to their meetings.

Demand is another factor behind the pricing.

Strong demand for Pirates fixtures

Orlando Pirates’ attendances this season have demonstrated the level of interest in the club. Their first MTN8 home match of the campaign was priced at R100, while the subsequent semi-final against Sekhukhune United sold out after all available general admission and suite tickets were purchased.

Support from Pirates fans was also evident towards the end of last season. More than 10,000 tickets had been sold for the club’s final home league match against Durban City when Orlando Pirates reported on the fixture several days before kick-off.

The club’s decision to raise its regular home-match ticket price to R100 this season was discussed publicly by Stadium Management South Africa CEO Bertie Grobbelaar. He cited stadium maintenance costs and exceptional demand for major matches among the factors involved.

Those figures provide an argument for charging more for a final featuring two of the country’s biggest clubs. Supporters are not paying R150 to watch an ordinary league match during the middle of the season, but to attend a cup final with silverware at stake.

Affordability remains a concern

The increase will nevertheless affect supporters differently. For families and fans travelling from outside Durban, the total cost of attending can rise considerably once transport, food and other expenses are included.

That raises the wider question of how football can remain accessible while clubs and stadium operators seek to keep matchdays financially sustainable.

For this fixture, however, the price is understandable. Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have competed for major honours in recent years, while their matches increasingly resemble heavyweight domestic contests. The presence of a trophy, a major stadium and supporters from two of South Africa’s biggest clubs is expected to create greater demand than a regular fixture.

The PSL has imposed a limit of four tickets per person and will operate an online queueing system when sales begin. Supporters have been told to purchase tickets only through the official Open Tickets platform.

Whether R150 is considered expensive will depend on the individual fan. It is undeniably more than the R100 charged earlier in the MTN8, but the occasion offers a clear explanation for the additional R50.