Pirates

The majestic Moses Mabhida Stadium will host Saturday’s MTN8 final.

MTN8: Five facts you didn’t know

The MTN8 final on Saturday will see the first piece of silverware handed over this season. Let’s crunch the numbers.

Pirates

The majestic Moses Mabhida Stadium will host Saturday’s MTN8 final.

Saturday’s MTN8 final will see ten-time champions Orlando Piratres face up to AmaZulu.

Here are five facts from the tournament that you might not know.

READ: Who has won the most MTN8 titles?

Orlando Pirates
Ndabayithethwa Phillip Ndlondlo of Orlando Pirates during the 2022 MTN8 Semifinal match between orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns at the Orlando Stadium, Soweto on the 01 October 2022 Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

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MTN8 by the numbers

  • Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are the only sides to retain the top eight trophy. Chiefs managed it in 1981-1982 and 1991-1992. Pirates managed it in 2010-2011. They did also win the trophy in 1996 and 2000, when there were no tournaments in between.
  • There have been three cup final hat tricks in the competition’s history – Ace Ntsoelengoe for Chiefs against AmaZulu in 1976, Marks Maponyane for Chiefs against Rangers in 1987 and Phil Masinga for Jomo Cosmos against Chiefs in 1991, when despite his three goals he still finished on the losing side.
Kaizer Chiefs fans
Kaizer Chiefs fans encapsulating the passion of a Soweto Derby. Image: BackpagePix
  • Kaizer Chiefs have won the top eight competition 15 times, the most of any team. Their wins have come from 21 final appearances. Next on the lost is Orlando Pirates (10) and then defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns (4).
  • AmaZulu has never won an MTN8 title and they haven’t won a major trophy since 1992, when they lifted the Coca-Cola Cup.
  • The winners of this year’s tournament will once again pocket R8-million, the richest prize money in South African knockout football. The other seven competing sides will take home R800,000, irrespective of where they finish.

READ: Suggestions to Jose Riveiro for the MTN8 final

The countdown to Saturday starts now.

READ: More insight, commentary and analysis from from football fanatic James Freemantle