It’s now crunch time for the 20 remaining teams with the 16 Men’s Under-21 sides set to kick off their knockout campaign in the Round of 16 while the four Women’s teams battle it out in the semifinals. All knockout fixtures were confirmed in a draw that followed Sunday’s action, where the last qualifying spots were decided.

Scottland FC, Emalahleni United, Midlands Academy, and Umsinga United all gained automatic qualification to the last 16 on Day Three after finishing top of their respective groups. They joined the likes of Orlando Pirates, Wits and 2022 champions Ambassadors who all booked their spots earlier in the tournament. Mphehli All Stars and NWU Soccer Institute were the top second-placed teams, rounding up the final two spots.

The draw served up some interesting match-ups, with defending champions University of Johannesburg set to take on last year’s quarterfinalists Mswenko Family, while hosts Orlando Pirates were paired up against Emalahleni United, who bowed out of the 2024 edition in the last four.

Also returning to the knockouts after a deep run in 2024 is the free-scoring Midlands Academy who emerged one of the standout teams from Sunday, netting a tournament high of 12 goals in three matches to register a 100% win record in Group M. They have a date with Group A runners-up NWU, while Lerumo Lions and Meadowlands Football Academy is another fixture that promises fireworks after both sides produced impressive displays en route to the next round.

The Round of 16 fixtures get underway at 8:00 at Marks Park, with four games running simultaneously before the other four get underway at 9:15. Quarterfinals are scheduled for 11:50 with semifinals in both categories kicking off at 14:00.

The curtain is set to close with the two finals taking centre stage at 16:00, followed by the trophy presentation and prize giving.

For the full tournament schedule, visit: https://www.tournifyapp.com/live/piratescup2025

Pirates Cup 2025 Knockout Fixtures

Women’s Semifinals

• Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies vs Wits University Ladies
• JVW vs University of Johannesburg Ladies

Men’s Round of 16

• University of Pretoria vs Viasport
• Wits University vs Mphehli All Stars
• Lerumo Lions vs Meadowlands Football Academy
• Msinga United vs Ambassadors
• Emalahleni United vs Orlando Pirates
• Midlands Academy vs NWU Soccer Institute
• University of Johannesburg vs Mswenko Family
• Hammer Boys vs Scottland FC

The day kicked off with Orlando Pirates hosting a Workshop for the 60+ participating coaches, covering crucial topics like goal planning, training methodology, and even a boot presentation by adidas.

Also in attendance at the event were first team head coach Jose Riveiro and his technical team, who took time out of their busy schedule to grace the occasion. Club legends Lucky Lekgwathi, Teboho Moloi and Phumudzo Manenzhe were also in the house, lending their prestige to the occasion.

The draw produced some intriguing matchups, with hosts Orlando Pirates landing in Group A alongside Young Pirates, Invitational Eleven, and North-West University.

Meanwhile, defending champions University of Johannesburg (UJ) face a stern test in Group C, where they’ll battle The Citizens – a team that reached the knockout stages last year; as well as Ebenezer Academy and Brits Soccer Academy.

Other notable groups to mention are Group E and Group G. In Group E we have last year’s runners-up Amahle, Tembisa Destroyers, Lerumo Lions and James Mothibi Academy.

While for Group G – its TS Galaxy, Meadowlands Academy, River Park and The Immortals Football Academy.

In the women’s section, defending champions JVW FC and 2024 runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies avoided an early showdown.

• JVW FC headline Group A alongside University of Pretoria, Wits University, and University of Limpopo.
• Sundowns Ladies were placed in Group B with Winhoek City SC, eMalahleni Ladies LFA, and University of Johannesburg.

Tournament Details & Prize Money

The action kicks off on April 18 across two venues: Wits Marks Park and Sturrock Park. The champions to be crowned after four intense days of competition. The men’s winners will take home R100,000, while the women’s champions will earn R50,000.

To see the rest of the draw log on to the tournament website: https://www.tournifyapp.com/live/piratescup2025

The biggest and most competitive Under-21 soccer tournament returns in 2025! 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. This is an invitation only event and space is very limited  

How to Register?

Teams can now register for the tournament through the official Orlando Pirates website at https://piratescup25.forms.app/pirates-cup-2025-registration

However, space is limited, and teams are encouraged to apply early. It’s important to note that registering does not constitute entry into the competition. Successful applicants will be notified by February 28, 2025.