Why the PSL chose Durban for Nedbank Cup Soweto derby final

Moses Mabhida Stadium manager Vusi Mazibuko says the Premier Soccer League (PSL) booked the Durban venue to host the Nedbank Cup final on May 10 because a music event is taking place at Nasrec on the same date.

There has been an outcry from many fans in Gauteng about the hugely billed Soweto derby final between Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates being staged at the 55,000-seat Durban stadium instead of FNB Stadium, which can accommodate up to 94,000 supporters.

“[The] PSL makes decisions about where they take their finals. It is not about how much or what we offered.” Mazibuko said, insisting there was no bid from the Durban venue to host the final.

It is understood the PSL would have preferred to stage the final at FNB Stadium, but could not due to the Ultra SA music event set to take place at Nasrec on May 9 and 10, so they opted for the Durban venue instead.

Moses Mabhida rarely goes a season without staging a final or two. They hosted the MTN8 final between Pirates and Stellenbosch earlier this season, while Bloemfontein staged the Carling Knockout.

This will be the 19th time since 2010 Durban will host a cup final.

Mazibuko said the stadium will have a way to deal with fraudulent tickets, which were prevalent at recent big matches in Gauteng.

The Soweto derby on February 1 was oversold, with more than 12,000 bogus tickets detected. This forced Stadium Management SA, which runs FNB, to ditch Ticketpro for Open Tickets to curb fake tickets at their venues, which include Orlando and Dobsonville stadiums. 

“There are structures that deal with the management of the game, including tickets, access and dealing with other criminal elements that may creep in,” Mazibuko said.

“The meetings will include the police, the league, the venue and other stakeholders. Once that has happened, an announcement will be made to the relevant structures as to how access will be controlled.”

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