The 2025/26 Betway Premiership season has finally given South African football fans what they have long been craving—a genuine challenger to the long-standing dominance of Mamelodi Sundowns.
As the season approaches its halfway mark, almost every team has experienced both highs and lows—some more costly than others. A few sides have shown glimpses of promise, but none have made a statement strong enough to topple the reigning champions, who maintain a slender lead at the summit.
Orlando Pirates have made a convincing case for themselves and will take comfort in the fact that they have two games in hand over the leaders, trailing by only three points.
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs’ surprising position in the top half (third) and Sekhukhune United’s (fourth) consistency have sparked interest, yet none of these sides have managed to temporarily displace Sundowns—even during a period when the champions are not at their best.
And as last season showed, having games in hand doesn’t guarantee points on the board, something the Buccaneers know all too well.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso won the league title in his debut season, claiming it by a commanding 13-point margin despite numerous challenges. However, he believes this year’s race will be much tighter and could go down to the wire.
“What I am predicting is that it’s going to be a very competitive league season right until the end,” Cardoso said.
The Brazilian coach’s greatest asset remains the experience within his team, which gives him an edge over his rivals. While he still needs to win back the confidence of some supporters who have been calling for his head, he will know that the best way to silence critics is through consistent performance.
The Portuguese tactician has been managing his squad carefully from the early stages, knowing that their schedule will intensify once the CAF Champions League fixtures kick in. Their recent 1-0 victory over TS Galaxy highlighted the importance of depth, with key players such as Iqraam Rayners and goalscorer Arthur Sales starting from the bench. Cardoso emphasized that team selection depends not only on competition but also on tactical match-ups.
“Sometimes we make changes because we want to give opportunities to other players,” he explained.
“If you think about what’s happened since the start of the season, you’ll understand we’re still not a finished product in terms of players and development. Miguel (Reisinho) played only one Champions League match before being sent off. We still don’t know his full impact.
“Tsiki’s (Ntsabeleng) substitution against Galaxy wasn’t because we were unhappy with him—it was about introducing a new dynamic to challenge our opponents.”
Although the Champions League remains the club’s primary focus, Cardoso understands the importance of preserving Sundowns’ domestic dominance and maintaining their tradition of winning league titles.
The journey has been far from smooth, but with gradual improvements evident, the coach was pleased that his side kept a clean sheet against Galaxy—a defensive improvement they had been working towards.
The 53-year-old linked the progress at the back with some of the key areas of their game they also need to improve
“That comes from stability,” Cardoso added on their recent sheets.
“Last week we spoke at length about not conceding, and unfortunately, the lack of consistency early in the season caused us to let in goals we normally wouldn’t.
“Teams are constantly trying to find ways to trouble us—most rely on quick transitions and pace.
“In the second half against Pirates, they played a lot of long balls behind our defense, and it’s very difficult to counter-press teams that don’t build from the back. Defending against such teams is challenging, but we have to improve in that area.”
