Clear Friday evening now. Tell the family supper is early, charge the phone and find the remote, because the next three days ask a lot of a South African sports fan. Three of our biggest football clubs try to finish African ties on home soil on the same night, all four URC franchises are in action, and the Springbok Women walk out at Athlone. Here are the SA sport fixtures this weekend, Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October, with every kick-off in SAST and a plain “to be confirmed” wherever nobody official has published one.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026 |
| CAF return legs | Chiefs (Durban), Sundowns (Pretoria), Pirates (Soweto), all Friday |
| URC round four | Sharks and Lions away on Friday, Bulls and Stormers at home on Saturday |
| Springbok Women | v Ireland, Saturday 15:00, Athlone Stadium |
| Knockout cup | Four last-16 ties on Saturday and Sunday |
| Cricket | None: the third Test starts at Newlands on Tuesday |
SA sport fixtures this weekend at a glance
| Date | Match | Competition | Kick-off (SAST) | Venue | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 23 October | Kaizer Chiefs v Red Arrows | CAF Confederation Cup, second leg | 18:00 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban | To be confirmed |
| Friday 23 October | Mamelodi Sundowns v Wiliete | CAF Champions League, second leg | 20:00 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | To be confirmed |
| Friday 23 October | Orlando Pirates v African Stars | CAF Champions League, second leg | To be confirmed | Orlando Stadium, Soweto | To be confirmed |
| Friday 23 October | Cardiff v Sharks | United Rugby Championship | 20:45 | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff | SuperSport |
| Friday 23 October | Edinburgh v Lions | United Rugby Championship | 20:45 | Hive Stadium, Edinburgh | SuperSport |
| Saturday 24 October | Bulls v Ulster | United Rugby Championship | 13:45 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | SuperSport |
| Saturday 24 October | Springbok Women v Ireland | WXV Global Series, first Test | 15:00 | Athlone Stadium, Cape Town | To be confirmed |
| Saturday 24 October | Golden Arrows v Chippa United | Knockout cup, last 16 | 15:00 | King Zwelithini Stadium, Durban | To be confirmed |
| Saturday 24 October | Stormers v Scarlets | United Rugby Championship | 16:00 | DHL Stadium, Cape Town | SuperSport |
| Saturday 24 October | Polokwane City v Siwelele | Knockout cup, last 16 | 18:00 | Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane | To be confirmed |
| Sunday 25 October | Kruger United v AmaZulu | Knockout cup, last 16 | 15:00 | Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela | To be confirmed |
| Sunday 25 October | Sekhukhune United v Richards Bay | Knockout cup, last 16 | 18:00 | New Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane | To be confirmed |
Where the broadcaster column says to be confirmed, no club, league, union or broadcaster had published one when we checked on Thursday morning. We will update this guide as they do.
Friday: three African ties, one night
CAF’s second preliminary round is the last gate before the group stage. Sixteen clubs go through in each competition, and all three of ours finish their ties at home on Friday. CAF had not published times or venues for the return legs when we checked on Thursday morning, so the details below come from the clubs.
Kaizer Chiefs v Red Arrows, 18:00, Moses Mabhida Stadium. This is the Confederation Cup, and Chiefs start the night a goal down after losing 1-0 in Ndola last Saturday. The club has confirmed Durban and the 18:00 start on its own website, with general tickets at R80 through Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers. For what Fernando Da Cruz’s side need and who is available, read our Chiefs v Red Arrows preview.
Mamelodi Sundowns v Wiliete, 20:00, Loftus Versfeld. Nothing separates the sides after a goalless first leg in Lubango on Sunday, so this one starts from scratch. Sundowns list the match for 20:00 at Loftus Versfeld on their official fixture page. One report this week placed the game at Lucas Moripe Stadium; the club’s own listing says Loftus, and that is what we go with. Our Sundowns v Wiliete preview has the team news.
Orlando Pirates v African Stars, kick-off to be confirmed, Orlando Stadium. Pirates carry a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Gaborone, and the club’s fixture list confirms Friday at Orlando Stadium in Soweto. What it does not show yet is a kick-off time, and CAF has not published one either, so we are not going to guess. Tickets were still marked as to be confirmed on the club’s site on Thursday morning. The Pirates v African Stars preview covers the squad and the stakes.
On television, nothing official yet: we could not find an official broadcaster announcement for any of Friday’s three games when we checked.
Friday night in the north: Sharks and Lions on the road
While the football is still going, two of our URC sides kick off at the same moment, 20:45 SAST. The Sharks are at Cardiff Arms Park and the Lions are at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh. Both home clubs list 19:45 UK time. Britain and Ireland stay on summer time until the early hours of Sunday, so the gap to South Africa is one hour on Friday and Saturday.
Both games are on SuperSport, like every match in round four, according to the URC’s broadcast listing. If you are a Sharks or Lions supporter with a Chiefs, Sundowns or Pirates habit, Friday night is a two-screen job.
Saturday: Loftus again, then the Cape
Loftus Versfeld barely gets a night off. A day after Sundowns play there, the Bulls host Ulster at 13:45, the time on the Bulls’ own fixture list and ticketing page. Scarlets are due at Loftus a week later.
Then it is down to Cape Town for the afternoon game. The Stormers host Scarlets at the DHL Stadium at 16:00, which is the time on the Stormers’ own site, and 15:00 in Wales. Our Stormers page has the background on the franchise.
Both Saturday games are listed for SuperSport.
Saturday at Athlone: the Springbok Women host Ireland
The first of two Tests against Ireland in the WXV Global Series kicks off at 15:00 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town. SA Rugby gives that time in its squad announcement and its match centre, and tickets are sold through Ticketmaster. The second Test is at the same ground on Saturday 31 October.
That 15:00 start overlaps with the Stormers at 16:00, so Capetonians will have to choose. SA Rugby had not named a broadcaster when we checked. For the squad, the new captain and what this series means, see our Springbok Women v Ireland preview.
The knockout cup: the weekend belongs to the rest
The Premiership’s knockout cup reaches the last 16 this weekend, and there is no league football to compete with it. The PSL’s match centre has no league fixtures until Friday 30 October.
Four ties are played this weekend, all confirmed by the PSL on Tuesday:
- Saturday: Golden Arrows host Chippa United at King Zwelithini Stadium at 15:00, then Polokwane City meet Siwelele at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium at 18:00.
- Sunday: Kruger United take on AmaZulu at Mbombela Stadium at 15:00, and Sekhukhune United face Richards Bay at New Peter Mokaba Stadium at 18:00.
Polokwane hosts both evening kick-offs, on two different grounds. The PSL has not yet published broadcast or ticket details for the four weekend ties.
Why the big three wait until Tuesday
Yes, the CAF clubs’ ties move. Pirates, Sundowns and Chiefs all play their last-16 matches on Tuesday 27 October, which FARPost and iDiski Times both put down to their African commitments.
| Date | Match | Kick-off (SAST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 27 October | Orlando Pirates v Milford | 19:00 | Orlando Stadium, Soweto |
| Tuesday 27 October | Mamelodi Sundowns v Marumo Gallants | 19:00 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria |
| Tuesday 27 October | Kaizer Chiefs v TS Galaxy | 19:00 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg |
| Wednesday 28 October | Durban City v Stellenbosch | 19:00 | Chatsworth Stadium, Durban |
Stellenbosch say their tie will be on SuperSport PSL, channel 202. And keep the following Saturday free: the Soweto Derby, Pirates against Chiefs, is at FNB Stadium on 31 October at 15:30, according to the PSL.
Cricket: a breather between Tests
There is no South African cricket this weekend. The second Test against Australia at St George’s Park ends today, and our day-five report will have the result. The third and final Test starts at Newlands on Tuesday 27 October at 10:00, Cricket South Africa confirms. The Proteas Women’s next home series is not until December.
How we checked these times
Every time in this guide is in SAST and comes from the organiser or the home club: the PSL for the knockout cup, SA Rugby for Athlone, Chiefs and Sundowns for their CAF games, and the home clubs plus the URC’s dual-zone listing for the rugby. We do not take rugby times from pages that show them in UTC, which run two hours behind. One note for next week: Britain and Ireland put their clocks back on Sunday 25 October, so from then on their rugby kicks off two hours later in South African time, not one.
Frequently asked questions
What time do Kaizer Chiefs play Red Arrows on Friday?
Kick-off is 18:00 SAST at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, as confirmed by Kaizer Chiefs. Chiefs trail 1-0 from the first leg in Ndola. General tickets cost R80 through Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers.
What time is Orlando Pirates v African Stars?
The kick-off time has not been confirmed by CAF or Orlando Pirates. The match is on Friday 23 October at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, and Pirates lead the tie 1-0. We will add the time as soon as the club or CAF publishes it.
Where can I watch the Sharks, Lions, Bulls and Stormers this weekend?
All four URC matches are listed for SuperSport. The Sharks and the Lions both kick off at 20:45 SAST on Friday, the Bulls host Ulster at 13:45 on Saturday and the Stormers host Scarlets at 16:00.
What time do the Springbok Women play Ireland at Athlone?
The first Test kicks off at 15:00 SAST on Saturday 24 October at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, according to SA Rugby. The second Test is at the same ground on Saturday 31 October. A broadcaster had not been confirmed when we checked.
When do Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns play in the knockout cup?
All three play on Tuesday 27 October at 19:00, after their CAF return legs. Pirates host Milford at Orlando Stadium, Sundowns host Marumo Gallants at Loftus Versfeld and Chiefs face TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium. This weekend’s four last-16 ties involve the other clubs.