Mamelodi Sundowns return to Austria for a pre-season camp ahead of the 2026/27 season, and two friendly matches against RB Salzburg and Saudi giants Al Hilal have been confirmed.
After opting to camp in Austria in July 2024, the Brazilians will return to the country as they prepare for a stronger season. They did not leave South Africa before last season, having started pre-season training late due to their participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
But the Brazilians are now jetting off to Europe to gear up for the upcoming campaign. Masandawana are the reigning African champions after lifting the CAF Champions League last term, to end a decade-long drought in the competition.
They would be pushing for better fortunes after unusually missing out on domestic trophies last season. The Brazilians now prepare for the new season by playing Austrian giants RB Salzburg on July 18. Salzburg have confirmed the fixture.
Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal, home to former France international striker Karim Benzema, will also be in Austria and has announced that they will face Sundowns on July 24. The venues for both fixtures have yet to be revealed.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Tshwane heavyweights also have CAF rivals MC Alger on their itinerary in Austria.
BUSY 2026/27 SEASON FOR MAMELODI SUNDOWNS WITH FIFA TOURNEY IN THE MIX
The Brazilians are bracing themselves for a hectic 2026/27 season in which they will participate in the MTN8, Carling Knockout, Nedbank Cup and the Betway Premiership. They failed to win a single domestic trophy last season, which puts pressure on them to recover from that setback under Miguel Cardoso.
Fuelling their determination to reclaim domestic dominance is the fact that traditional rivals Orlando Pirates dislodged them as Betway Premiership champions. They now gear up for what appears to be a tougher season, in which they will also be bidding to defend their CAF Champions League title.
There is also the FIFA Intercontinental Cup to play for, involving club champions from each of the world football governing body’s confederations. Sundowns will be in Austria to sharpen themselves for the demanding competitions.
They face Al Hilal again after beating the Saudi side 2-1 in another friendly match in July 2024. During that previous tour of Austria, they also faced Qatari side Al Arabi, Cardiff City FC, Dynamo Kyiv and German third-tier side SV Sandhausen.
RELATED STORY: Mamelodi Sundowns in talks over shock Lucas Ribeiro Costa return
