Despite their failed bid to host the 2025 MTN8 final at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, the Polokwane Municipality has vowed to keep trying its luck in bringing major finals into the city.
The Polokwane Municipality were among the cities that raised their hand to host the eagerly awaited final on 13 September 2025.
The last time they hosted major finals was in 2016, when SuperSport United defeated Orlando Pirates 3-2 in the Nedbank Cup final in May.
They also hosted the Telkom Knockout final when Cape Town City beat SuperSport United 2-1 in December of the same year.
Pirates will take on Stellenbosch FC in what is a repeat of the 2024 edition of the MTN8 final, at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga. The Buccaneers beat Stellies 3-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The two teams will now lock horns at the 2010 FIFA World Cup venue in Mbombela in a match scheduled for an 18:00 kickoff.
WHERE DID THE PETER MOKABA STADIUM GET IT WRONG IN THEIR MTN8 FINAL HOSTING BID
Polokwane Municipality Sports and Recreation Manager Mantlako Sebaka has acknowledged that, despite the apparent disappointment of failing to win the bid to host the MTN8 final, they will continue to pursue bringing other finals to the area.
“Our love to support football will always continue, and we are looking forward to looking at other opportunities to host cup finals,” Sebaka told FARPost.
“Whether it’s the Nedbank Cup or Carling Knockout, we will continue trying our best to bid for other cup finals. Maybe one day we will be able to get it.”
POLOKWANE MUNICIPALITY STILL MAINTAINS STRONG STANCE ON SPORT TOURISM
“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t know [where we fell short] because normally reasons are not provided for and we leave it there,” he added.
“We are encouraged by the fact that our approach to sport tourism is working for this city. So we will continue doing that and try to ensure that all the population in Polokwane get the benefit of having a municipality that looks after their interests, particularly in the sporting fraternity.”
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