Orlando Pirates F.C.

Orlando Pirates Football Club, referred to as simply Pirates, is a South African professional football club based in Orlando, Soweto that plays in the top-tier system of Football in South Africa known as Betway Premiership. The team plays its home matches at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
The club was founded in 1937 and was originally based in Orlando, Soweto. Orlando Pirates are the first club since the inception of the Premier Soccer League in 1996 to have won three major trophies in a single season back to back, having won the domestic league ABSA Premiership, the domestic cup Nedbank Cup and the Top 8 Cup MTN 8 during the ABSA Premiership 2010–11 season and domestic league ABSA Premiership, the League Cup Telkom Knockout and the Top 8 Cup MTN 8 during the ABSA Premiership 2011–12 season. They are one of only two South African teams with Mamelodi Sundowns to win the CAF Champions League, which they won in 1995 and were runners up of 2013 CAF Champions League.
They are also the runners-up of the 2015 and 2021–2022 CAF Confederation Cup.
In total Orlando Pirates have appeared in four Confederation of African Football finals, that is more continental finals than any other Premier Soccer League side.
The club has won nine league titles and 88 trophies in total including 10 South African cup trophies.
In 2024 they became the first team to win three consecutive MTN 8 finals.
Orlando Pirates is one of South Africa's oldest football clubs having been established in 1937 in Orlando East, Soweto.
The founders of Orlando Pirates included the offspring of migrant workers who moved from rural areas to work in the gold mines of Gauteng. Boys in Orlando came together at every available opportunity in open spaces and in informal groupings to play football. The original club was formed in 1934 by a group of teenagers at the Orlando Boys Club. Andries Mkhwanazi, popularly known as "Pele Pele", was a boxing instructor at the Orlando Boys Club when he encouraged formation of a football club in 1937 and a year later those teenagers were competing among the minors of the Johannesburg Bantu Football Association barefoot and without a team kit.
In 1940, Bethuel Mokgosinyane, the first president, bought the first team kit with his own funds. Orlando Boys participated in Johannesburg Bantu Football Association's Saturday League, where they won the Division Two title and gained promotion to Division One in 1944. Andrew Bassie, a key member of the team, suggested the new name 'Orlando Pirates'. The team composed the camp's war cry 'Ezimnyama Ngenkani'.
Over the years, Orlando Pirates, also known as 'The Happy People', have accumulated a record of successes having won the National Professional Soccer League title in 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1976, the National Soccer League title in 1994, and the Premier Soccer League title four times, in 2001, 2003, 2011 and 2012. Their first-place finish in the 2010–11 domestic league campaign generated much excitement among the club's vast fan base.
In 2011, Orlando Pirates enjoyed tremendous success by winning the 2010–11 Premier Soccer League, The Nedbank Cup, The MTN 8 Cup and The Telkom Knockout. This year was dubbed as "The Happy Year."
Many other cup triumphs in domestic football have also been recorded, including Vodacom Challenge title victories in the inaugural 1999 tournament and 2005. But the African continent and other areas of the football world took notice of Orlando Pirates Football Club when they won the African Champions Cup (now known as the Champions League) in 1995 and the African Super Cup a year later. Along with Mamelodi Sundowns, TP Mazembe and AS Vita, the Orlando Pirates are the only Southern Hemisphere club to have won the African Champions League. This achievement resulted in the club being honoured by the first State President of the new democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela; another first for a South African sporting team.
Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung and his Jomo Cosmos counterpart Jomo Sono were popular players of the highest calibre for the Buccaneers before starting their own clubs.
In 2005, the team, along with Interza Lesego and Ellis Park Stadium Ltd, announced its acquisition of a 51% share in Ellis Park Stadium, making it the first majority black-owned stadium in South Africa. It was in the same year that Orlando Pirates achieved Superbrand status. Superbrands is an international company that identifies and rewards the leading brands around the world; Orlando Pirates are the only South African sports team next to the Springboks and Proteas to be given this status.
Orlando Pirates’ supporters are among the most demanding in Africa and the world; Pirates’ real supporters‚ or “the Ghost” ‚ as they are known are some of the most passionate football fans you will ever come across.
Known as the spiritual owners of the club they produce the most intimidating atmosphere on match days at Orlando Stadium.
Pirates' fans, who are also known as the Ghost, often boast about their team being the first club from Southern Africa to have won the Caf Champions League title having achieved this in 1995.
Not only is Orlando Stadium the original Mecca of South African football, it is also home to local giants and 1995 CAF Champions League winners Orlando Pirates; It is by far the most intimidating of venues on match days.
The club boasts an impressive record at home compared to other sides in the PSL.
The Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is fiercely contested derby. The first match was on 24 January 1971.
Amateur Era (1937-1960)
Johannesburg Bantu Football Association (JBFA) Saturday League Division Two
• Champions (1): 1939
Johannesburg Bantu Football Association (JBFA) Saturday League Division One
• Champions (3): 1955, 1956 & 1959
Johannesburg African Football Association (JAFA) Summer League
• Champions (2): 1950, 1952
Transvaal Challenge Cup
• Champions (3): 1952, 1955, 1959
SA Robertson Cup
• Champions (4): 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953
Robor Shield Cup
• Champions (1): 1959
South African League titles (9):
Premiership
National Soccer League
Nedbank Cup
Telkom Knockout
MTN 8
CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
CAF Super Cup
Afro-Asian Club Championship
Castle Challenge
Sales House Cup
Carling Black Label Cup
Vodacom Challenge
Telkom Charity Cup
PSL Reserve League
NB: South African football clubs started participating in CAF Competition's in 1993, after 16 years of being banned from FIFA due to the apartheid system. The ban extended from 1976 to 1992.
The club appeared in the African Cup of Champions Clubs twice (1995, 1996) and have appeared in the CAF Champions League ten times from 1997 to date. The club has been knocked out 4 times in the preliminary round out of the last 6 appearances.
Note
As of 2 September 2023, Orlando Pirates are ranked 16th in the 2023-24 CAF 5-year ranking.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
The club has retired four numbers.
Jersey number 10 was retired to honour Jomo Sono, regarded as one of the best players from South Africa.
Jersey number 13 was retired to honour Sasha Moleko in 1998.
Jersey number 22 was retired to honour Lesley Manyathela after his death in a car accident in 2003. Manyathela finished the 2003 season as top scorer, and the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot was named after him.
Jersey number 1 was retired to honour goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa after his murder in 2014.