PSL Under Fire for Snubbing Sundowns’ Champions League Final
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has come under intense criticism for showing a blatant disregard for Mamelodi Sundowns’ historic CAF Champions League final appearance by scheduling six domestic league matches at the exact same time as the first leg of the continental showdown.
Sundowns, who host Egypt’s Pyramids FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final this Saturday at 15h00, have been denied any sense of priority by the PSL—even as the fixture marks a monumental moment for South African football. Despite Loftus Versfeld being sold out for the occasion, the league has pressed ahead with a full local schedule, including Kaizer Chiefs’ season-closer against Polokwane City just 70km away at FNB Stadium.
This lack of support is in stark contrast to what’s seen across the African continent, where top leagues routinely clear the calendar to highlight major continental fixtures. Morocco, for instance, cleared the schedule for RS Berkane’s CAF Confederation Cup final, while both Tanzania and Zanzibar have ensured no other matches clash with the Confederation Cup’s second leg this Sunday.
Pyramids will have the full backing of the Egyptian Premier League when they host the second leg of the final in Cairo on June 1, with no local fixtures scheduled—demonstrating a commitment to continental representation that the PSL appears unwilling to match.
This is not an isolated incident either. Sundowns’ semi-final clash with Al Ahly was similarly overshadowed by concurrent PSL fixtures, undermining the prestige and visibility of one of the most successful teams representing South African football on the African stage.
The disregard is even more baffling considering the stakes: a $4 million (R72.3 million) prize and continental bragging rights. Furthermore, the team has shouldered an exhausting 51-match season spanning the league, Champions League, Nedbank Cup, Carling KnockOut Cup, and MTN8—all without any scheduling concessions from the PSL.
After the Champions League final, Sundowns will fly the South African flag yet again at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 13. But once again, it seems their efforts and achievements are being downplayed at home.
This weekend should have been a celebration of South African football excellence. Instead, the PSL’s decision to clutter the calendar sends a clear message: continental success is not a priority. And for many in the football fraternity, that is simply unacceptable.
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