By Shihaam IsaacsSouth Africa sports betting writer
Updated 1 November 2026
The Betway Premiership is South Africa’s top football league, run by the Premier Soccer League with sixteen clubs. Orlando Pirates are the champions after edging Mamelodi Sundowns by one point in 2025/26, and the 2026/27 season runs from 1 August 2026 to 22 May 2027. This guide covers the format, the title race, the Soweto derby dates and the clubs that have won the league since 1996.
Betway Premiership key facts
- Organiser
- Premier Soccer League (PSL)
- Clubs
- 16
- 2026/27 season
- 1 August 2026 to 22 May 2027
- Champions 2025/26
- Orlando Pirates
- Most PSL titles
- Mamelodi Sundowns, 15
- Relegation
- 16th down, 15th into a playoff
Betway Premiership table 2026/27
As at 1 November 2026.
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 9 | 18 | 26 |
| 2 | Orlando Pirates | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 19 | 25 |
| 3 | AmaZulu FC | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 22 |
| 4 | Milford FC | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 18 |
| 5 | Kaizer Chiefs | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 6 | Sekhukhune United | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 14 |
| 7 | Chippa United | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 11 |
| 8 | Stellenbosch FC | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 10 |
| 9 | Kruger United | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 10 |
| 10 | Golden Arrows | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 8 |
| 11 | Polokwane City | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 8 |
| 12 | TS Galaxy | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 7 |
| 13 | Durban City | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 7 |
| 14 | Siwelele | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 16 | -7 | 6 |
| 15 | Marumo Gallants | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 5 |
| 16 | Richards Bay | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 3 |
Latest results
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 October 2026 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 4-1 | Durban City |
| 31 October 2026 | Kruger United | 3-1 | Richards Bay |
| 31 October 2026 | Orlando Pirates | 2-1 | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 31 October 2026 | Milford FC | 1-0 | Sekhukhune United |
| 31 October 2026 | Stellenbosch FC | 0-2 | Chippa United |
| 31 October 2026 | AmaZulu FC | 1-0 | Golden Arrows |
| 31 October 2026 | Polokwane City | 0-0 | TS Galaxy |
| 30 October 2026 | Marumo Gallants | 3-2 | Siwelele |
| 18 October 2026 | Siwelele | 1-0 | Polokwane City |
| 17 October 2026 | Sekhukhune United | 2-1 | Marumo Gallants |
Next fixtures
| Date | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|
| 24 November 2026 | Durban City | Polokwane City |
How the Betway Premiership works
The sixteen clubs play each other home and away, thirty matches each. The bottom club is relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship and the fifteenth placed club enters a playoff with the second and third sides from that division. Kruger United and Milford came up for 2026/27, replacing Orbit College and Magesi.
The league has carried four sponsor names: the Castle Premiership from 1996, the ABSA Premiership from 2007, the DStv Premiership from 2020 and the Betway Premiership since 2024.
2025/26 champions and the 2026/27 title race
Orlando Pirates won the 2025/26 Betway Premiership with 69 points to Sundowns’ 68, sealing it with a 2-0 win over Orbit College on 23 May 2026. It was Pirates’ first league title since 2011/12 and ended Sundowns’ run of eight titles in a row. After the matches of 31 October 2026, Sundowns led the 2026/27 table on 26 points from ten games, with Pirates second on 25 points from nine.
Soweto derby dates 2026/27
Orlando Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 at FNB Stadium on 31 October 2026, and Chiefs host Pirates at the same ground on 13 March 2027. The first Soweto derby was played on 24 January 1970.
League titles in the PSL era
| Club | Titles since 1996/97 |
|---|---|
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 15 |
| Orlando Pirates | 5 |
| Kaizer Chiefs | 4 |
| SuperSport United | 3 |
| Manning Rangers, Santos, Bidvest Wits | 1 each |
Latest Betway Premiership news
-
Orlando Pirates Edge Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 for Seventh Straight League Win
Orlando Pirates claimed a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon, securing their seventh…
-
Milford Win at Golden Arrows to Go Fourth in the Betway Premiership
Milford won away at Golden Arrows 1-0 and go fourth in the Betway Premiership, with Sekhukhune United, Kruger…
-
Pirates Cut the Sundowns Lead to One Point With a Fifth Straight Win
Orlando Pirates beat Marumo Gallants by two goals to nil at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium for a fifth…
-
Van Wyk Rescues a Point for Sundowns at Chippa United
Mamelodi Sundowns scored deep into stoppage time at Chippa United to draw one all and keep their unbeaten…
-
Sundowns Beat AmaZulu 5 to 2 at Loftus and Draw Level With Pirates
Mamelodi Sundowns beat AmaZulu 5 to 2 at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday, with Brayan Leon scoring twice and…
-
Sundowns, Pirates and Chiefs: the Betway Premiership title race
Mamelodi Sundowns start as favourites to reclaim the Betway Premiership, with champions Orlando Pirates and a rebuilt Kaizer…
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Betway Premiership is back: Kaizer Chiefs open with a win
The 2026/27 Betway Premiership kicked off on 1 August, and Kaizer Chiefs marked Fernando Da Cruz’s first league…
Betway Premiership FAQ
Who won the Betway Premiership in 2025/26?
Orlando Pirates won the 2025/26 Betway Premiership with 69 points, one more than Mamelodi Sundowns. It was their first league title since 2011/12.
How many teams are in the Betway Premiership?
Sixteen clubs play in the Betway Premiership, thirty matches each. The bottom club goes down and the fifteenth placed club plays in a promotion and relegation playoff.
When is the next Soweto derby?
Kaizer Chiefs host Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on 13 March 2027. Pirates won the first derby of the season 2-1 at the same ground on 31 October 2026.
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