Saturday, October 10 will be the 21st cup final played at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban as Orlando Pirates look to win the MTN8 for an unprecedented fifth successive season as they go up against Mamelodi Sundowns to decide the trophy.
The two heavyweights of South African soccer are already the two frontrunners in the early stages of the new Betway Premiership season and the fact that they are contesting the first piece of silverware in the 2026-27 campaign adds more spice to the encounter.
Since 2010 there have been 20 finals at the Durban World Cup venue with Pirates involved in 11 of them (seven wins and four defeats) while Sundowns have played in five cup finals there, emerging victorious in three
Here is a look at all the previous finals at the 56 000-seater venue:
2010 MTN8: Pirates beat Moroka Swallows 4-2 on post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw where Daine Klate had the Buccaneers ahead early with a penalty, but Morgan Shivambu equalised four minutes from time. Siyabonga Nomvete and Brian Mashishi missed for Swallows to hand Pirates the trophy.
2011 Telkom Knockout: Pirates won a second title at the stadium with a 3-1 triumph over Bidvest Wits with goals from Thulasizwe Mbunyane, Klate, and Zambian midfielder Isaac Chansa. Sifiso Myeni got the Wits goal, which made it 1-1 with 25 minutes to go, but Pirates’ firepower told in the end.
2012 Telkom Knockout: Only a third trophy success for Bloemfontein Celtic as Joel Mogorisi scored shortly after halftime to see them beat Mamelodi Sundowns, who fired coach Johan Neeskens after the game and had Pitso Mosimane in place five days later.
2013 Nedbank Cup: Bernard Parker crowned a season of renewed form with the extra-time goal that handed Kaizer Chiefs the cup with a 1-0 triumph over SuperSport United. It proved a tense game with Chiefs’ earlier chances denied by opposing goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
2013 MTN8: This was the third domestic cup final in a row at the Moses Mabhida Stadium with Platinum Stars capturing a second-ever trophy with a surprise triumph over Pirates. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, and Stars won the ensuing shootout 3-1.
2014 Nedbank Cup: Kermit Erasmus scored twice and Myeni got the other goal as Pirates beat Wits 3-1. Wits had been ahead at halftime through Jabulani Shongwe’s effort, but Bucs came roaring back in the second half to lift the silverware.
2014 MTN8: A glancing header in the first from defender Tefu Mashamaite saw Chiefs edge Pirates 1-0 to win the top eight trophy, which would prove to be their last piece of silverware for a decade.
2015 Telkom Knockout: Sundowns had their first cup success at the Moses Mabhida Stadium by beating Chiefs 3-1 with Leonard Castro, Thabo Nthethe, and Hlompho Kekana scoring. Chiefs got a late consolation goal from Togolese striker Camaldien Abraw.
2017 Nedbank Cup: SuperSport thumped the Buccaneers 4-1 with Bradley Grobler scoring a brace for Matsatsantsa, while Jeremy Brockie and Kingston Nkhatha were also on target. Brockie also missed a penalty as Oupa Manyisa netted a late consolation for Pirates from the spot.
2017 MTN8: A second successive cup success for SuperSport, albeit with a new coach in Eric Tinkler, as they edged Benni McCarthy’s Cape Town City 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Sibisiso Masina scored early for City with Thabo Mnyamane equalising in the 80th minute.
2018 MTN8: For a second year in a row, Cape Town City and SuperSport decided the top eight title, but this time City won 4-1 on penalties after a goalless stalemate with giant Dutch goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh saving shootout efforts from Grobler and Reneilwe Letsholonyane.
2019 Nedbank Cup: One of the great shocks of South African club football history as TS Galaxy became the first, and to date only, second division side to win a major trophy by edging Chiefs with a late penalty from Zakhele Lepasa.
2019 Telkom Knockout: The Uruguayan striker Mauricio Affonso made little impact in his brief stint at the club but did get both goals for Sundowns as they beat Maritzburg United 2-1. Judas Moseamedi had Maritzburg ahead at halftime but Sundowns turned that around after the break.
2020 MTN8: Celtic took the lead after only three minutes through Siphelele Luthuli but Pirates equalised from Deon Hotto before a second half penalty converted by Thembinkosi Lorch won them the title.
2021 MTN8: Cape Town City had one kick to win on penalties but Tareeq Fielies missed and allowed Sundowns to come back and win 3-2 in the shootout after the clash had ended 1-1 after extra time.
2022 MTN8: A superb winner from Monnapule Saleng handed Pirates the trophy as they edged AmaZulu 1-0. It was an unexpected decision to have the final in Durban because of AmaZulu.
2023 MTN8: The fourth successive top eight final at Moses Mabhida as heavyweights Pirates and Sundowns went head-to-head but failed to produce any goals. In the shootout, Sundowns squandered their first three kicks and so Bucs successfully defended their title.
2023 Carling Knockout: The new trophy was a second successive final decided at the stadium and saw Stellenbosch edge TS Galaxy to take their first trophy. Lehlogonolo Mojela had scored for Galaxy but Ismael Toure equalised and the Winelands club won 5-4 on kicks.
2024 MTN8: Pirates won their third straight top eight title by beating Stellenbosch 3-1. Mojela opened early for Stellies but Saleng equalised and then there was a controversial winner for Tshegofatso Mabasa while Relebohile Mofokeng added a third soon after.
2025 Nedbank Cup: Chiefs ended a 10-year wait for a trophy, made all the more sweeter that it came against their old rivals Pirates, denying the Buccaneers a hat-trick of title wins. Gaston Sirino opened the scoring for Chiefs with a 10th-minute penalty, Evidence Makgopa soon hit back to level but a goal 10 minutes from the end from Yusuf Maart sealed victory.