Mamelodi Sundowns’ title success in the DStv Premiership on Saturday means they extended the record number of successive championship success to six seasons in a row – plus added to their record number of league titles.
Sundowns have now won 16 - four more than their closest challengers Kaizer Chiefs –as they continue to set new records for South African football.
Before Sundowns’ current run of championship success, no club had ever won more than three league titles in a row but that has now been doubled by the Brazilians.
Orlando Pirates in 1976 became the first club to successfully defend their title, thereby making it two in a row. It was a feat that Durban City repeated in 1983 and 83 and Chiefs achieved in 1991 and 92
Sundowns became the first club to make it three league titles in a row in 2000, which SuperSport United matched 10 years later.
Sundowns have won every title since 2018 and taken their tally of league crowns to 16, four more than Chiefs, who they have usurped over the last seasons, and seven more than Pirates.
Chiefs won the first of their 12 league titles in 1974 and Pirates were inaugural National Professional Soccer League winners in 1971, Sundowns only claimed their first championship in 1988.
A total of 15 different clubs have won the championship in South Africa since the NPSL kicked off in 1971 but only Chiefs, Pirates, Sundowns and SuperSport are still in the top flight. Many of the other former champions have since gone out of business, notably 2017 winners Bidvest Wits.
LEAGUE TITLES??1997/98
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) April 1, 2023
??1998/99
??1999/00
??2005/06
??2006/07
??2013/14
??2015/16
??2017/18
??2018/19
??2019/20
??2020/21
??2021/22
??2022/23 ???
Mamelodi Sundowns have won their 13th PSL title, more than Kaizer Chiefs (4), Orlando Pirates (4) and Supersport United (3) ????????????????. pic.twitter.com/4c7OVwHMMe
1971 – Orlando Pirates
1972 – Zulu Royals
1973 – Orlando Pirates
1974 – Kaizer Chiefs
1975 – Orlando Pirates
1976 – Orlando Pirates
1977 – Kaizer Chiefs
1978 – Lusitano
1979 – Kaizer Chiefs
1980 – Highlands Park
1981 – Kaizer Chiefs
1982 – Durban City
1983 – Durban City
1984 – Kaizer Chiefs
1985 – Bush Bucks
1986 – Rangers
1987 – Jomo Cosmos
1988 – Mamelodi Sundowns
1989 – Kaizer Chiefs
1990 – Mamelodi Sundowns
1991 – Kaizer Chiefs
1992 – Kaizer Chiefs
1993 – Mamelodi Sundowns
1994 – Orlando Pirates
1995 – Cape Town Spurs
1996/97 – Manning Rangers
1997/98 - Mamelodi Sundowns
1998/99 - Mamelodi Sundowns
1999/2000 –Mamelodi Sundowns
2000/01 – Orlando Pirates
2001/02 - Santos
2002/03 – Orlando Pirates
2003/04 – Kaizer Chiefs
2004/05 – Kaizer Chiefs
2005/06 – Mamelodi Sundowns
2006/07 – Mamelodi Sundowns
2007/08 – SuperSport United
2008/09 - SuperSport United
2009/10 - SuperSport United
2010/11 – Orlando Pirates
2011/12 – Orlando Pirates
2012/13 - Kaizer Chiefs
2013/14 – Mamelodi Sundowns
2014/15 – Kaizer Chiefs2015/16 – Mamelodi Sundowns
2016/17 – Bidvest Wits
2017/18 - Mamelodi Sundowns
2018/19 - Mamelodi Sundowns
2019/20 - Mamelodi Sundowns
2020/21 - Mamelodi Sundowns
2021/22 - Mamelodi Sundowns
2021/22 - Mamelodi Sundowns
2022/23 - Mamelodi Sundowns
Totals
16-Mamelodi Sundowns
12-Kaizer Chiefs
9-Orlando Pirates
3-SuperSport United
2-Durban City
1-Bidvest Wits, Bush Bucks, Cape Town Spurs, Highlands Park, Jomo Cosmos, Lusitano, Manning Rangers, Rangers, Santos, Zulu Royals