The Ghost have played their part, leaving it up to Orlando Pirates players to seal a historic season
SEASON FINALE
THE GHOST - as Orlando Pirates supporters are famously called have played their role in rallying behind the club this season as they stand to claim the league title for the first time in 14 years.
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
THE GHOST, as Orlando Pirates supporters are affectionately known in football circles, have played their part as a driving force this season pushing their players to a stage where it is literally in their hands to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns as Betway Premiership champions.
Last weekend Pirates only needed to win against newly-crowned Nedbank Cup champions Durban City to be crowned Premiership champions for the first time in 14 years.
The Ghost yet again played their part snapping up tickets early to grace the Orlando Amstel Arena with another sold out crowd — a common factor to Pirates' title charge this season.
It was the players who dropped the ball failing to score, resulting to a 0-0 draw that left them with a must win final day outing against relegation-threatend Orbit College at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon — another sold-out fixture.
The Ghost have been consistent in their determination to turn even away games into home fixtures through their attendance.
The fact that Pirates opened the season by bagging the first two trophies — the MTN8 and Carling Knockout — must have influenced the fans' record attendance.
Should Pirates win on Saturday, they will finish with 69 points — their highest-ever points tally in a 30-game PSL season.
They have already set a new club record of 66 points, surpassing the previous benchmark of 61 recorded in the 2002/03 and 2024/25 seasons. Other records either broken or matched by Pirates so far this season include:
Most goals: They broke the club's PSL-era scoring a record of 52 goals (set in 2004/2005) by exceeding 53 goals with matches still to play.
Defensive milestones: They recorded 18 clean sheets in 27 matches — a testament to their defensive strength — even though there were times when their first-choice goalkeeper, Sipho Chaine, was not at his best.
Consecutive wins: In February 2026, they achieved eight consecutive wins. That purple patch featured eight clean sheets across all competitions.
Central to the club’s success are two giants, though they are among the shortest players in the squad — and possibly the whole league.
Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis have earned the title of talismans this season, and as well they are expected to dominate nominations in the season ending PSL Awards.
A player like Patrick Maswanganyi has also played a key role, with the likes of Tshepang Moremi and Evidence Makgopa rising to the occasion. Mofokeng, Appollis, and Maswanganyi have scored a combined 25+ goals to fuel this record-breaking run.
A bit of history that should worry Pirates' rivals is that the last time the Buccaneers won the league title, they recorded a domestic treble for two seasons running.