Mamelodi Sundowns Latest News: Champions League Defence Starts in Angola, After the MTN8 Final

The Mamelodi Sundowns latest news on Saturday 3 October 2026 is that the CAF Champions League holders start their title defence away to Wiliete of Angola on Sunday 18 October, with the return leg at home the following weekend. Before that comes the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates on Saturday 10 October at Moses Mabhida Stadium, 18:00, and a league trip to Richards Bay on Tuesday 13 October at 19:30. Sundowns lead the Betway Premiership on 20 points from eight games, unbeaten. That is five matches in 22 days across three competitions, and this page sets their October against those of Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

Today’s Sundowns news, item by item

Every row below was read on 3 October 2026. Where only one outlet carried a detail, the row names it. We do not present single-source details as confirmed.

There is no verified injury or selection news for the final or for Angola, so there is none here. When a club publishes its squad, we add it. Until then a gap is better than a guess.

The original number: three clubs, three very different Octobers

Pirates, Sundowns and Chiefs all have continental ties in October, and all three have had league games moved to fit them in. We put the three schedules side by side from 10 October to 4 November. League rows come from ESPN’s feed. The continental dates come from the outlets named above and from AfricaSoccer and Briefly for Pirates and Chiefs, so treat those as reported dates rather than official ones until CAF publishes kick-off times.

Sundowns and Pirates both go from the MTN8 final in Durban to a league game three days later, so whoever loses the final has the shortest turnaround of the month with a defeat to absorb. Sundowns then get the longest single break of the three clubs, nine days between the home leg and Durban City on 1 November, because they have no league fixture on 31 October or 4 November while the Champions League tie is played. That matches ESPN’s league lists for both dates, which carry no Sundowns game.

That is the arithmetic of being honest about strong picks. Each of our three strongest Sundowns numbers between now and 1 November is between 76 and 80 percent, and if they are right and independent, the chance all three come in is 48 percent. A run of three is not something any single high figure promises, which is why we grade and publish every pick separately.

Where Sundowns stand

Read from ESPN’s South African Premiership standings and team schedule on 3 October 2026. The eight results add up to 19 goals scored and 7 conceded, which matches the table exactly.

Sundowns lead on points, but Orlando Pirates have the better rate: 19 points from seven games is 2.71 a game against Sundowns’ 2.50, and Pirates have a game in hand. Both of Sundowns’ dropped-point games were away draws, at Chiefs and at Chippa United, and they have won all four of their home league games so far.

Our published Sundowns picks, and the record

Every figure below was published on our fixture pages before this briefing and is unchanged. We do not revise a number after the fact.

Three graded Sundowns picks, three wins. Three from three is a sample, not a hit rate, and we will not quote it as one. The more honest figure is the strong band across every sport we grade: 23 from 27, with four losses we leave on the page. The away leg in Angola is our lowest Sundowns number of the month at 58 percent because it is away, at a ground Wiliete do not normally use, against a side that won its last round 5-0 on aggregate.

Predictions on this site are published for information only and are not betting advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. 18+ only. Betting involves risk and you can lose money, so never stake more than you can afford to lose. Free and confidential help is available from the South African National Responsible Gambling Programme on 0800 006 008, 24 hours a day.