The MTN8 is more than a half century old, but the first year of the top eight competition saw just four teams participate at the start of the 1972 season.
The first-ever match was a semifinal tie that saw Orlando Pirates come from 3-1 down at halftime against Moroka Swallows, including two goals from their former star Percy Moloi who had moved to the Birds, to win 4-3 at the Orlando Stadium. Blessing Mgidi got a hat-trick for the victors.
Pirates, who continue their bid for an unprecedented fifth MTN8 title in a row when they take on Sekhukhune United in Saturday’s semifinal, first leg tie in Polokwane, were the first winners, beating Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 in the final in 1972, the winner coming from Elias Mokopane.
But over the years Chiefs have had the most success in the competition, winning 15 times.
Their last, however was in 2014. Pirates have 13 titles, including the last four, and Mamelodi Sundowns are way back in third spot with four trophy wins.
The top eight competition is unique to South Africa and it adds more focus on where clubs finish in the standings at the end of the season, adding extra value to the conclusion of the league campaign.
In 1974, there were two top eight competitions. The first was played in January and then there was another at the end of the season. Chiefs were kicked out of the 1974 edition when their semifinal against Pirates was abandoned because they refused to allow Bucs to take a late penalty that the referee had awarded.
The next year the format was increased to include 16 teams, including some amateur clubs, and in 1976 to 32 teams, both played at the end of the season.
The competition record 11-1 win for Swallows over amateurs Winter Roses was set in the expanded edition in 1975. The same year Manguang United had to forfeit their match against Pirates because they could not obtain enough petrol for their trip to Johannesburg. There were fuel restrictions in those days.
The first ever penalty shootout in the tournament came in 1976 when amateurs Malimo from Welkom upset Bloemfontein Celtic 4-2 on kicks after a 1-1 draw in the opening round. The record penalty shootout score is 9-8 in favour of Dynamos over Swallows in their 1981 semifinal replay.
In 1977, the format was back to eight teams and has remained such ever since
When the new Premier Soccer League was introduced in 1996, and the timing of the soccer calendar changed from August to May, the competition was done away with until being restored in 2000.
BP were the sponsors for a quarter-century and have been followed by South African Airways and cellular operators MTN.
The final was played over two legs from the second edition in 1973 until 1990.
The only time the two legs of the final ended tied and the competition needed a final replay was in 1988 when Sundowns edged out neighbours Arcadia, in match not allowed in verkrampt Pretoria but played instead at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg.
Since 1991, the final has been decided by a single match with the first one seeing Phil Masinga scored a hat-trick but still ended on the losing side as Chiefs beat Jomo Cosmos 4-3 in the final at Soccer City, thanks to an 88th minute winner from Fani Madida.
Masinga’s hattrick was the third in a Top Eight final following Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe for Chiefs against AmaZulu in 1976 and Marks Maponyane for Chiefs against Rangers in 1987.
Three own goals were scored when Arcadia beat Wits in the first leg of the 1986 final in Durban including a spectacular diving header into his own net by Arcs’ centre back Dave Bukowski.
The 6-0 win for Lamontville Golden Arrows over Ajax Cape Town in 2009 is a record winning margin in any final in the country’s football history.