Orlando Pirates have been crowned Betway Premiership champions, while Orbit College will make a swift return to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after being automatically relegated on the final day of the season.
Pirates ended a 14-year wait for the league title after they beat Orbit College 2-0 at the Mbombela Stadium.
𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 #𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐌 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🏴☠️🏆
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) May 23, 2026
They win the South African league title for a fifth time in the PSL era 🇿🇦🔥#SSDiski | #SSFootball pic.twitter.com/j6DPckM8QE
A comedy of errors handed the trophy to the Buccaneers, with Sabelo Nkomo punching the ball into the back of his own net from a corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half before Ndumiso Ngiba lobbed his goalkeeper in an attempt to prevent Yanela Mbuthuma from latching onto a lofted pass on 50 minutes.
Pirates finished one point above Mamelodi Sundowns, who were finally dethroned after winning eight consecutive championships. The Mswenko Boyz suffered relegation after Magesi won their match to climb off the foot of the table and survive on goal difference.
Kaizer Chiefs brought the curtain down on their season in disappointing fashion after losing 1-0 to Chippa United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
🧤 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) May 23, 2026
Congratulations to Sipho Chaine — the shot-stopper now holds the all-time PSL record for the most clean sheets in a single season after reaching an incredible 21 shutouts during the 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign. 👏☠️
A season of consistency.… pic.twitter.com/7r8XSSgCvD
Sammy Seabi's 33rd-minute goal saw Brandon Truter make a winning start to his tenure as the Chilli Boys' head coach as their top-flight status was secured for another campaign after finishing four points clear of the danger zone in 13th place.
AmaZulu clinched fourth spot courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Durban City in a local derby at Chatsworth Stadium.
Nkosikhona Radebe scored the only goal of the game in the 81st minute as Usuthu halted a three-match winless run to pull three points clear of Sekhukhune United, with the Citizens hanging onto eighth position to ensure MTN 8 football.
⏰ 90 +1‘| @mswenkoboyz 0 v 2 @orlandopirates
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) May 23, 2026
🥅 45+5’ Nkomo (OG)
🥅 49’ NGiba (OG)
⚫⚪🔴⭐#MatchDay#OrlandoPirates pic.twitter.com/Z1UdvTKaZU
Sekhukhune United limped to fifth place after they battled back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Siwelele at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Quick-fire goals from Gamphani Lungu (16') and Siphesihle Jeza (19') saw Siwelele race into a 2-0 lead, but Tshepo Mokoane (56') pulled one back early in the second half before Bright Ndlovu (90') struck at the death to rescue a point for Babina Noko.
The Free State outfit had to settle for 10th spot, although it was a marked improvement from last season when they narrowly avoided relegation as SuperSport United.
Golden Arrows made it seven games unbeaten at the end of the season after they were held to a 0-0 draw by TS Galaxy at the King Zwelithini Stadium.
Abafana Bes'thende finished sixth, three points behind Sekhukhune, and Bernard Parker ended his brief tenure on a two-game undefeated streak with the 12th-placed Rockets.
Stellenbosch missed out on MTN 8 qualification after they played out to a goalless stalemate with Marumo Gallants at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium.
The Maroons had an outside chance of pipping City to eighth position, but they needed to win big in Bloemfontein. In the end, Stellies finished two points outside the top eight in ninth spot, while Bahlabane Ba Ntwa missed the promotion/relegation playoff by the skin of their teeth after finishing one point above Magesi and Orbit College.
Magesi managed to pull off the great escape after they edged Richards Bay 1-0 at the Seshego Stadium.
Dikwena tsa Meetse looked dead and buried not so long ago, but they picked up precious points against Gallants, the Citizens and Galaxy recently to keep their top-flight hopes alive. Mcedi Vandala's 47th-minute penalty proved enough to beat the drop on the final day as they finished above the Mswenko Boyz on goal difference, with the Natal Rich Boyz coming in 11th place.
Betway Premiership match 30 results:
Durban City 0-1 AmaZulu
Golden Arrows 0-0 TS Galaxy
Kaizer Chiefs 0-1 Chippa United
Magesi 1-0 Richards Bay
Marumo Gallants 0-0 Stellenbosch
Orbit College 0-2 Orlando Pirates
Sekhukhune United 2-2 Siwelele