The Soweto Derby is a football rivalry between Premiership teams Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in South Africa. It was first contested on 24 January 1970. Matches between the two rivals attract a large fanbase. The rivalry is recognised as one of the biggest derbies in Africa.

The Soweto Derby is different to the Original Soweto Derby, which used to be contested between Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows.

Based in Soweto, Johannesburg, the rivalry stems from the fact that Kaizer Chiefs was formed by a former Orlando Pirates star Kaizer Motaung. Motaung had left Orlando Pirates to go play professional soccer in the now defunct North American Soccer League for a team called the Atlanta Chiefs. Upon returning home, he found a lot of infighting among the hierarchy at Pirates. He decided to form a Kaizer XI, which initially played friendly matches with various clubs in South Africa and then this entity evolved to the Kaizer Chiefs.

Overall record

Team League Nedbank Cup Telkom bvbCup MTN 8 Total Fixtures 53 17 5 1085 Kaizer Chiefs 20 8 1 2 28 Orlando Pirates 12 6 1 6 25 Draw 24 3 3 32

Win percentage(%) +TeamsLeagueCup Total percentage(%)Kaizer Chiefs54.08%34.34%32.94%Orlando Pirates 22.64%40.62%29.41%

All-time results

League Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs Season Division Date Venue Score Attendance Date Venue Score Attendance1996–97 Premiership18 January 1997FNB Stadium0–110 May 1997Orlando Stadium1–11997–98Premiership22 November 19971–17 March 19985–11998–99Premiership9 October 19982–213 February 19991–21999–2000Premiership13 June 20002–220 November 19991-02000–01Premiership9 June 20011–029 November 20001–12001–02Premiership15 December 20010–34 May 2002Orlando Stadium1–12002–03Premiership14 March 20032–07 December 20021–12003–04Premiership13 December 20031–01 May 20041–02004–05Premiership29 April 20051–129 October 20042–12005–06Premiership28 October 20052–09 May 20060–12006–07Premiership9 December 20061–180,00028 April 2007Orlando Stadium1–1 6,0002007–08Premiership10 May 20081–050,00024 November 2007Kings Park Stadium2–2 50,0002008–09Premiership15 November 20080–260,0002 May 2009Orlando Stadium2–162,0002009–10Premiership31 October 2009Loftus Versfeld Stadium0–040,00020 February 20100–014,0002010–11Premiership26 February 2011FNB Stadium1–192,51513 November 2010FNB Stadium1–374,8752011–12Premiership17 September 20112–025,00017 March 2012 3–287,1712012–13Premiership8 December 20120–084,0009 March 20130–080,0002013–14Premiership26 October 20131–180,00015 March 20140–190,0002014–15Premiership7 March 20150–088,0006 December 20140–271,2822015–16Premiership31 October 20151–390,00030 January 2016FNB Stadium1–160,0002016–17Premiership29 October 20160–060,0004 March 20171–155,0002017–18Premiership21 October 20170–075,0003 March 20183–186,3142018–19Premiership9 February 20191–186,00027 October 20182–182,0002019–20Premiership9 November 20193–288,00029 February 20200–180,8082020–21Premiership21 March 20211–0030 January 2021Orlando Stadium2–102021–22Premiership6 November 20212–105 March 20221–202022–23Premiership25 February 20231–0 90,00029 October 2022FNB Stadium 0–1 90,0002023–24Premiership 11 November 20230–1 90,0009 March 20243–2 86,7642024–25 Premiership 3 May 20251–290,0001 February 20251–0 90,0002025–26Premiership 28 February 20260–390,00025 April 20261-1 94,736

Cup results + Season Competition Round Date Stadium Home team Result Away team Attendance Notes1970–71 Life Challenge Cup Final ? FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates 2–2 (aet) Kaizer Chiefs Kaizer Chiefs won 2–1 after replayFinal replay ? FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 2–1 Orlando Pirates 1971–72 MTN 8 Final ? FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates 10–1 (aet) Kaizer Chiefs 1974–75 Life Challenge Cup Final ? FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates 3–2 Kaizer Chiefs Life Challenge Cup Final 1st leg ? FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 4–1 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs won 6–2 on aggregate Final 2 ng leg ? FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates1–2 Kaizer Chiefs 1975–76 Benson & Hedges Cup Final ? FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 Orlando Pirates 1976–77 Benson & Hedges Cup Final ? FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 Orlando Pirates 1980–81 Nedbank Cup Final ? FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates 1–1 (aet) Kaizer Chiefs Kaizer Chiefs won 3 – 1 after replayFinal replay ? FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 3–1 Orlando Pirates 1983–84 Nedbank Cup Final ? FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 Orlando Pirates 1987–88 Bob Save Super Bowl Final ? FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates 1–0 Kaizer Chiefs 1996 Bob Save Super Bowl Semi-final 2 November 1996 ? Orlando Pirates 4–1 Kaizer Chiefs 1997–98 Bob Save Super Bowl 2nd round 27 March 1998 ? Kaizer Chiefs 0–1 Orlando Pirates 1998–99 Bob Save Super Bowl Semi-final 1st leg 31 October 1998? Kaizer Chiefs 3–1 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs won 3–2 on aggregate Semi-final 2nd leg 14 November 1998 ? Orlando Pirates 1–0 Kaizer Chiefs 2001–02 MTN 8 Semi-final 25 August 2001 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 Orlando Pirates 2005–06 ABSA Cup Final 19 May 2006 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs * 0–0 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs won 5–3 on penalties 2009–10 Telkom Knockout Semi-final 5 April 2010 FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates * 0–0 Kaizer Chiefs Kaizer Chiefs won 3–0 on penalties2010–11 MTN 8 Semi-final 1st leg 11 September 2010FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates 1–1 Kaizer Chiefs 75,000 Orlando Pirates won 2–1 on aggregate Semi-final 2nd leg 26 September 2010 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs0–1 Orlando Pirates 69,760 Telkom Knockout Final 4 December 2010 FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates * 0–3 Kaizer Chiefs 90,000 2012–12 MTN 8 Final 10 September 2011 FNB Stadium Orlando Pirates * 1–0 (aet) Kaizer Chiefs 84,0002012–13 MTN 8 Semi-final 1st leg 24 August 2013FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 0–1 Orlando Pirates 83,000 Orlando Pirates won 2–1 on aggregate Semi-final 2nd leg 24 September 2013 Orlando Stadium Orlando Pirates 1–1 Kaizer Chiefs 40,000 2014–15 MTN 8 Final 20 September 2014 Moses Mabhida Stadium Orlando Pirates * 0–1 Kaizer Chiefs 50,000 2015–16 Telkom Knockout Semi-final 7 November 2015 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 0–0 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs won 6–5 on penalties 2015–16 Nedbank Cup Round 32 5 March 2016 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 0–2 Orlando Pirates 90,000 2018–19 Telkom Knockout Semi-final 24 November 2018 Moses Mabhida Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 1–2 Orlando Pirates 55,000 2019–20 Telkom Knockout Semi-final 24 November 2019 Moses Mabhida Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 2–2 Orlando Pirates 55,000 Kaizer Chiefs won 4–2 on penalties 2020–21 2020 MTN 8 Semi-final 1st leg 31 October 2020 Orlando Stadium Orlando Pirates 3–0 Kaizer Chiefs 0 Orlando Pirates won 5–0 on aggregate Semi-final 2nd leg 8 November 2020 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 0–2 Orlando Pirates 0 2022–23 Nedbank Cup Semi-final 6 May 2023 FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 1–2 Orlando Pirates 90,000 2024-25 Nedbank Cup Final 10 May 2025 Moses Mabhida Stadium Kaizer Chiefs 2–1 Orlando Pirates 57,000

* Played as a neutral game with one side designated as the 'home team'.

Honours

Orlando PiratesCompetitionKaizer ChiefsDomestic 5 South African Premiership (1996 - present) 4 10 Nedbank Cup 14 14 MTN 8 15 2 Telkom Knockout 13 1 National Soccer League (South Africa) (1985 to 1996) 3 4 National Professional Soccer League (South Africa) (1971 to 1984) 5 36 Aggregate 53Continental 1 CAF Champions League 0 0 African Cup Winners' Cup (defunct) 1 1 CAF Super Cup 0 2 Aggregate 1 38 Total aggregate 54

Head-to-head ranking in the South African Premiership (1996–present) +Pos.97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 212223241 1111 111 1 2222222 22 2 22 222333 3333 3333 3 334 44 45 5555555666 67788899991010111112131415161718 Total: Kaizer Chiefs with 14 higher finishes, Orlando Pirates with 14 higher finishes (as of the end of the 2023–24 season). The biggest difference in positions for Kaizer Chiefs from Orlando Pirates is 7 places (2016–17season), The biggest difference in positions for Orlando Pirates from Kaizer Chiefs is 8 places (2023–24 season).

References

Lethabo Phakwago