Some defeats stay in the dressing room long after the bus has left. For Orlando Pirates, the one that still talks is Lupopo: a second preliminary round exit last season, at exactly this stage, against a side from the DR Congo. So when the Buccaneers fly to Botswana for African Stars v Orlando Pirates on Saturday, they carry the league title and a squad in form, and also a memory they would rather not repeat.
Abdeslam Ouaddou has not hidden from it. “Last season, unfortunately, we were knocked out by Lupopo,” he told reporters this week, iDiski Times reported. “This year we need to be in the group stages.”
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Match | African Stars v Orlando Pirates |
| Competition | CAF Champions League, second preliminary round, first leg |
| Date | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| Venue | National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana |
| Kick-off | To be confirmed (reports differ) |
| Return leg | Friday 23 October, Soweto |
| Prize | The winner reaches the group stage |
Why African Stars v Orlando Pirates is in Botswana
The Stars, champions of Namibia, are hosting this one. They just cannot host it at home, because no ground in their country currently meets CAF’s standard for club matches. Botswana stepped in: BOPA, the state news agency there, reported the move to Gaborone, and the venue is on Pirates’ fixture list too.
That is not new for them. Their home leg of the first round was played at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, AfricaSoccer and The Namibian reported. So the Namibians are used to playing “home” games far from home. Pirates, who had expected both legs on South African soil, instead get Botswana, and an atmosphere that is anyone’s guess.
Nobody has pinned down the kick-off yet. The Namibian club put out 15:00 local time a month ago, and local time there matches SAST; AfricaSoccer has since said 19:00; the Buccaneers’ fixture page leaves the slot blank. Two answers and a blank space mean no answer, so we are not printing a time. Our weekend fixture guide will carry it as soon as it is official.
How African Stars got here
Do not mistake the Stars for a soft draw. In the first preliminary round they lost the first leg 3-1 away to AS Mangasport in Gabon, CAF reported, then won the return 2-0 in Pretoria and went through on away goals. That away goal in Gabon is what carried them through.
Then they lost their coach. Ronnie Kanalelo, who guided them past Mangasport, left for the Betway Premiership and Marumo Gallants, AfricaSoccer reported. His replacement is Gerald Guther, 46, who holds a CAF A licence and has coached Namibia’s Under-17 side since July 2022. He has 28 years of coaching behind him, AfricaSoccer says. What he has not had is much time with this squad.
Ouaddou admitted the Stars are hard to read. “It’s difficult [to study them], they didn’t start the league, but we have some footage,” he said, according to iDiski Times and AfricaSoccer. Pirates’ staff have been working through what they have, and a new coach with a fresh plan only adds to the guesswork.
Pirates’ team news
The big absence is at right-back. Kamogelo Sebelebele went off shortly before half-time in Saturday’s MTN8 final and missed Tuesday’s league game, and Ouaddou has ruled him out of the first leg. “Look, he is still being assessed by the medical department,” the coach said after the win over TS Galaxy, AfricaSoccer reported. “But I think for the Champions League, definitely I cannot use him.” Right-back has been a recurring headache for Pirates this season.
There is better news in midfield. Thalente Mbatha had surgery after national team duty and spent about two months out, then returned in the MTN8 final. Pirates rested him on Tuesday rather than risk him two days after that final, Ouaddou explained, IOL reported. Whether he starts in Gaborone is not yet known.
Oswin Appollis is the one to watch on the team sheet. He was stretchered off in the second half against Galaxy, and Pirates said they would assess him. There was no update by Friday morning.
The form guide
Pirates have taken the MTN8 final defeat on the chin. Sundowns beat them 2-0 in Durban last Saturday, ending the Buccaneers’ four-year hold on the trophy (our MTN8 final report). Three days later they were back at Orlando Amstel Arena beating TS Galaxy 3-0, with Boitumelo Radiopane, Tshepang Moremi and Simphiwe Masilela scoring (how they shook off the hangover).
In the league they are second, a point behind Sundowns with a game in hand and still unbeaten. In Africa, they cleared the first preliminary round by beating La Cure Waves of Mauritius 3-1 on aggregate.
The Stars, by contrast, arrive without a competitive rhythm: as Ouaddou pointed out, their league has not started yet. That can cut both ways. Fresh legs, but no match sharpness.
The last time these two met
This has happened before, and Pirates fans of a certain vintage will remember it. In December 2018 the clubs met for a place in the Champions League group stage. The first leg at Orlando Stadium finished 0-0, and Pirates won the return 1-0 in Windhoek through Justin Shonga’s goal in the 57th minute, the Daily Dispatch and Business Report reported. Tight, nervy, and settled by one moment.
What Pirates need from Gaborone
Ouaddou’s message is simple: bring something home. “It will be important to come back with a positive result because really it’s a big challenge for us,” he said. Our view: a draw with an away goal would be a very good afternoon, and even a narrow defeat with a goal would keep the tie very much alive for Friday 23 October, the return date on the club’s own fixture list.
The away goals rule still applies in this round, which is why that goal matters so much; our CAF Champions League explainer sets out the rules. The prize is a group stage place, worth USD 700,000 according to AfricaSoccer, and a run in Africa that Ouaddou has made this season’s main target.
There is a domestic sting, too. The Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs follows on Saturday 31 October, and a messy exit in Africa is the worst possible way into derby week. Everything on the club and its story is on our Orlando Pirates page.
Frequently asked questions
Where are African Stars v Orlando Pirates playing?
In Gaborone, Botswana, at the country’s national stadium, on Saturday 17 October 2026. The Namibian champions are the hosts, but with no CAF-approved ground in Namibia they had to take the match abroad.
What time is the African Stars v Orlando Pirates kick-off?
There is no confirmed time yet. The Namibian club’s September post said 15:00 local time, equal to SAST, while AfricaSoccer later reported 19:00. Pirates’ own fixture page has no time, so check again on Saturday morning.
When is the second leg?
Pirates host the return leg in Soweto on Friday 23 October, according to the club’s fixture list. The winner over the two legs goes through to the group stage.
Who is out for Orlando Pirates?
Right-back Kamogelo Sebelebele is ruled out of the first leg after going off injured in the MTN8 final, Abdeslam Ouaddou confirmed. Oswin Appollis was stretchered off against TS Galaxy and is being assessed.
Have Orlando Pirates played African Stars before?
Yes. In December 2018 Pirates drew 0-0 at home and won 1-0 in Windhoek, with Justin Shonga scoring, to reach the Champions League group stage.