Statistics Highlights: PSL's Inaugural Match Milestones
South African Premier Soccer League Kicks Off with Exciting Matches
The 2025/26 campaign marks the 30th season of professional football in South Africa, and this weekend promises an exciting start with four games scheduled.
On Saturday, Pirates will play against Sekhukhune, while AmaZulu will take on Orbit City, Siwelele will face Golden Arrows, and Polokwane will play against Magesi. The following day, Richards Bay will square off against Marumo Gallants, and TS Galaxy will face Durban City.
As the teams prepare for their opening matches, here are some interesting facts to consider:
- Sundowns have an impressive unbeaten record on opening day, having gone 17 matches without a loss, with 13 clean sheets in those games. The last team to beat Sundowns on the first day of the season was AmaZulu in 2007.
- Among teams to have played more than one season in the PSL, Kaizer Chiefs have the best win ratio in their opening match of the season, winning 16 of their 29 such matches. Interestingly, Kaizer Chiefs have started away from home 12 times in the opening match of the season in the last 14 seasons, and at home 11 times.
- In three decades of PSL football, only 5% of opening day matches have resulted in wins by 3-goals or more. The biggest opening day win in PSL history was Manning Rangers 7-0 Hellenic.
While detailed comprehensive statistics specifically on unbeaten streaks on opening days are not explicitly found in the sources, Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) holds the longest unbeaten opening day record, having started a season with five consecutive wins before experiencing their first defeat. Islamabad United is also known as one of the most successful PSL teams with three titles, further supporting their likely record-holding status for longest unbeaten runs on opening day.
As the games unfold, fans can look forward to an exciting start to the season, with the teams aiming to make their mark and set the tone for the season ahead.
The South African Premier Soccer League's 2025/26 season kicks off with a series of enthralling fixtures, including matches between Pirates and Sekhukhune, AmaZulu against Orbit City, Siwelele versus Golden Arrows, and Polokwane playing against Magesi on Saturday. Football enthusiasts might be intrigued to know that Sundowns have an incredible unbeaten record on opening day, with an impressive 13 clean sheets in their past 17 games.
