Kaizer Chiefs may have struggled for consistency in the league this season, but their proud history in the Nedbank Cup is providing a timely dose of belief ahead of Saturday’s titanic final clash with arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.
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Despite enduring another underwhelming Betway Premiership campaign, Amakhosi have shown a different face in the cup competition, booking their spot in the 2024/25 Nedbank Cup Final—marking their sixth appearance in the showpiece since the dawn of the PSL era.
Their record in previous finals suggests that Chiefs have the pedigree to rise to the occasion. Of their five prior Nedbank Cup final appearances, the Soweto giants have lifted the trophy on three occasions: in 1999/00 under Muhsin Ertugral, in 2005/06 with Ernst Middendorp at the helm, and again in 2012/13 under Stuart Baxter.
They were narrowly beaten in their other two appearances—in 1998/99 and more recently in 2018/19—but history shows that when they reach this stage, Chiefs are far from pushovers.
The cup has often provided a silver lining for the club in difficult seasons, and with head coach Nasreddine Nabi still finding his feet in South African football, the final offers a shot at redemption and silverware that could shift the momentum at Naturena.
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With one of the fiercest rivalries in African football set to play out on the biggest domestic stage this weekend, Chiefs will take confidence not only from their run to the final but also from their legacy in the competition—something Pirates will be wary of as the battle lines are drawn.
