Watch VideoBetway Premiership returns: Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs begin contrasting title journeys

Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs kick off their Betway Premiership campaigns next weekend with high stakes and contrasting expectations. Photo: Backpagepix The countdown is almost over. This weekend the Betway Premiership returns, but this is not a season that begins with one favourite and 15 challengers.

Orlando Pirates,Mamelodi SundownsandKaizer Chiefsall enter the new campaign carrying vastly different expectations, making the opening weekend feel like the start of three separate journeys rather than one title race. For Pirates, the challenge is no longer about chasing the champions. They are now the team everyone wants to beat.

Pirates ended a 14-year wait for the league title last season, completing a domestic treble under Abdeslam Ouaddou. But success has brought a different kind of pressure.The task now is to maintain that level while competing across multiple fronts. But success has brought a different kind of pressure.

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The task now is to maintain that level while competing across multiple fronts. Alongside defending their Premiership crown, Pirates will also have the MTN8, Carling Knockout Cup, Nedbank Cup and CAF Champions League to navigate, requiring squad depth, consistency and the ability to handle the demands of domestic and continental football. Their Spanish pre-season camp highlighted the importance of building a squad capable of surviving a demanding schedule, with Ouaddou using the tour to assess his options and develop tactical flexibility.

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