The Pirates Cup, the biggest and most prestigious Under-21 soccer tournament in South Africa is back! And this year’s instalment promises to be bigger and better than before.
The Pirates Cup tournament is a fantastic opportunity for teams to come together and compete at the highest level.
So competitive has this tournament been over the years, that only one team has been able to successfully defend its title and that was Orlando Pirates in 2017 and 2018. Since then, the competition has seen a different team win every year, with Stars of Africa claiming bragging rights in 2023, when Farouk Khan’s side defeated Orbit College in a nail-biting final.
“This competition continues to grow from year to year but more importantly, the competitiveness too. From the day we conceptualised the Pirates Cup, we wanted to make it the most challenging tournament at this age bracket. The players’ physical and emotional demands are tested in a big way at the Pirates Cup, and players who participated in this competition before can attest to that.
“We were intentional in setting up the competition this way because, to survive at an elite level which the Premier Soccer League is, talent alone is not good enough,” said Head of Youth, Cayl Coetsee.
For those who dare to dream, Pirates Cup 2024 offers more than just a shot at victory – this competition offers an unparalleled platform for players to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level.
A sentiment echoed by Head Technical Manager for Youth, Mxolisi Mngomezulu.
“We provide a platform at Pirates Cup for players to show what they are all about. The likes of Relebohile Ratomo (now Mofokeng), was scouted in this competition in 2022.
“We have also had a number of players who are now plying their trade in the PSL having competed in the Pirates Cup. In 2019, the SuperSport United team that won the Pirates Cup featured the likes of Reagan Apollis (MVP 2019) and Luke Fleuers. That same year we had a TS Galaxy team who had Ethan Brooks and Tshegofatso Nyama. School of Excellence had Selaelo Rasebotja.
