TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 15 – 17 MAY 2026

Soccer

TWO CUP FINALS AND A R20-MILLION SOCCER 13!

The last act of the 2025-26 football season is under way and TAB soccer customers need to make the most of the next two weekends, which both offer much drama and fantastic chances to land big wins. Big-money pools this weekend are headed by Sunday’s R6.6-million Soccer 13, which is set to generate an all-13-correct jackpot pool of R20 million, and cash-boosted bets include R200,000-added cracker Soccer 10 pools tonight and tomorrow.

BIG LEAGUES GO DOWN TO THE WIRE IN SA AND UK

The local Betway Premiership and the English Premier League have just two rounds of matches remaining and both are going down to the wire with Orlando Pirates and Arsenal little more than 180 minutes away from securing league titles that will break long-running droughts for both clubs.

Pirates have not won the league title since 2014 and Arsenal’s championship drought in England extends back to the 2003-04 season, when they became known as “The Invincibles” by not losing a single game.

As things stand both need the full six points from their remaining games to be crowned champions, although Arsenal could prevail with less if Manchester City slip up in their last two.

The Buccaneers must beat Durban City at home this Saturday and then repeat the feat on 24 May when the league season concludes. Pirates will be away at relegation-haunted Orbit College in their final league fixture.

Sundowns’ failure in recent weeks to win at home against Stellenbosch and Kaizer Chiefs, plus a goalless draw at Richards Bay, has probably proved their undoing and opened the door for Pirates to break their long-running dominance of South African football. They have had to deal with a heavy schedule because of their progress to the African Champions League final and have failed to cope despite an extensive squad.

VAR DECISION EASES THE PRESSURE ON ARSENAL

But for a fortunate VAR decision against West Ham last Sunday, Arsenal and City would be neck and neck right now. Instead Arsenal have a two-point advantage and should destroy already-relegated Burnley at home on Monday. City travel to Bournemouth on Tuesday, only three days after the FA Cup final against Chelsea, and it wouldn’t be a major shock if they failed to get all three points, thus allowing Arsenal to take championship before the final weekend of fixtures on Sunday 24 May.

Both Pirates and Arsenal, however, have to guard against nerves with many still expecting them to fluff their lines in the final days of the campaign.

The soccer highlights this weekend are the FA Cup final at Wembley in London tomorrow afternoon (kick-off 16:00) and the African Champions League final first-leg at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday. In the latter Sundowns host Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, seeking to take an advantage to the return leg in Rabat on 24 May. But they are going to have to be at their attacking best because the Moroccans will aim to keep a clean sheet, relying on counter-attacks to score a potentially valuable away goal. Both previous clashes between the two sides have ended in 1-1 draws.

As for the FA Cup final, City are 13-18 favourites with 3-1 the draw at 90 minutes and 4-1 Chelsea. They have faced each other twice before in FA Cup finals. Chelsea won the first encounter 1-0 in 1970 and City gained revenge with a 1-0 win in 2021. Both finals were tight, low-scoring affairs and a repeat is on the cards.

ALL THE BANKER BETS FOR THE WEEKEND

The weekend abounds with chances for TAB soccer customers to score big wins, starting tonight with a R200,000-added Soccer 10 that comprises a set of competitive and challenging games.

There are a couple of standout bets in home wins for Castellon against Cadiz in a LaLiga2 clash, while Notts County beat Chesterfield 1-0 away in the first leg of their League Two semi-finals and should win again at home.

Saturday’s first Soccer 10 also carries a R200,000 cash bonus from TAB and looks a gem of a bet with the game line-up including seven Betway Premiership matches and the FA Cup final. Here the right bankers look to be Pirates to win at home and City to outgun Chelsea in the Wembley showdown.

For Sunday’s mega Soccer 13 bank on home victories for Brentford, Everton and Marseilles.

R200,000-ADDED SOCCER 10 POOLS THIS WEEKEND

Friday 15 May – S10 V2

M1 Bari 1908 vs FC Sudtirol: Cracker R200,000-added bet to get the weekend off to a hot start. Sudtirol are winless in 10 Serie B games, while Bari have lost six of their last 10. Sudtirol won the last meeting 2-1 away in February and are 16th with 41 points, just one ahead of 17th-placed Bari after 38 games.

M2 Salford City vs Grimsby Town: Second leg of a promotion playoff semi-final in League Two. Salford finished fourth in the table, three points ahead of seventh-placed Grimsby, and beat them 2-1 in the first leg recently.

M3 CD Castellon vs Cadiz: LaLiga 2 clash. Castellon have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine games, while Cadiz are winless in their last nine. Cadiz won the last meeting between them 2-0 in December, but are 18th and 26 points behind sixth-placed Castellon.

M4 Cobh Ramblers vs Athlone Town: Ramblers are on a two-game losing streak, while Athlone are unbeaten in their last five. Athlone won the last meeting 2-0 in March and are fourth in the Irish Division 1 table with 22 points, three ahead of sixth-placed Ramblers after 15 games.

M5 OH Leuven vs Antwerp: Belgian premier league Conference Group clash. Leuven are winless in their seven games so far, while Antwerp have lost their last two but had won three in a row previously. Antwerp are fifth in the group, eight points ahead of last-placed Leuven.

M6 St Patrick’s Athletic vs Shelbourne: St Pats are unbeaten in six games, while Shelbourne have lost five of their last eight. St Pats beat Shelbourne 3-2 away in their last clash and are second in the Irish Premier Division with 31 points, 13 ahead of seventh-placed Shelbourne.

M7 Treaty United vs Finn Harps: Treaty are unbeaten in three games, while Harps have won their last two. The teams drew 2-2 in their last meeting. Harps are eighth with 17 points, five ahead of 10th-placed Treaty.

M8 Aston Villa vs Liverpool: Villa have lost three of their last five games and Liverpool five of their last nine. Liverpool won the last clash between them 2-0, their 10th win in the last 15 meetings. Liverpool are fourth in the EPL and one place ahead of Villa on goal difference.

M9 Dundalk vs Shamrock Rovers: Dundalk are winless in their last four Irish Premier Division games, while Rovers are on a three-game winning streak. The teams drew 1-1 draw earlier this year, but Rovers top the table 12 points ahead of fourth-placed Dundalk.

M10 Notts County vs Chesterfield: Second leg of a promotion playoff semi-final in League Two with Notts having beaten their rivals 2-1 in the first leg. Notts finished fifth on 80 points in the table, just one ahead of sixth-placed Chesterfield.

Saturday 16 May – S10 V3

M1 AmaZulu vs Kaizer Chiefs: Brilliant R200,000-added pool with seven Betway Premiership clashes, two Bundesliga games and the FA Cup final. AmaZulu are unbeaten in three games, while Chiefs are winless in four. The teams drew 1-1 in their last clash with Chiefs third on the log with 51 points, seven ahead of fourth-placed AmaZulu.

M2 Chippa United vs Golden Arrows: Chippa are winless in their last four games, while Arrows are unbeaten in five. The teams drew 0-0 in February in their last clash with Chippa having won five times to Arrows’ four in the last 15 games between them over the last seven years. Arrows are eighth on the log with 37 points, 12 ahead of 13th-placed Chippa.

M3 Orlando Pirates vs Durban City: Pirates are unbeaten in 10 PSL games, while City are unbeaten in four. Pirates won the last meeting 2-0 away and are second in the league with 65 points, 27 ahead of seventh-placed City.

M4 Richards Bay vs Sekhukhune United: Richards Bay are unbeaten in their last six PSL games, while Sekhukhune have won only two of their last 10. Sekhukhune are fifth on the log with 42 points, nine more than Richards Bay.

M5 Siwelele FC vs Magesi: Siwelele have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10 games, while Magesi have lost twice running. Magesi did win the last meeting 2-0 last September, but are 12 points behind ninth-placed Siwelele on the log.

M6 Stellenbosch vs Orbit College FC: Stellenbosch are winless in four games, while Orbit are unbeaten in their last three. Stellenbosch won the last meeting 2-1 away and are 10th with 33 points, nine ahead of 14th-placed Orbit.

M7 Polokwane City vs Marumo Gallants: Polokwane are winless in four games and Gallants in their last eight. The teams drew 1-1 in their last meeting. Polokwane are sixth with 39 points, 16 ahead of 15th-placed Gallants.

M8 St. Pauli vs Wolfsburg: Wolfsburg are winless in six of their last 10 Bundesliga games, while St. Pauli are without a win in their last nine league matches. Wolfsburg won the last meeting between them 2-1 in January. They are level on 26 points at the bottom of the table and both will be relegated.

M9 Union Berlin vs Augsburg: Berlin are winless in six Bundesliga games, while Augsburg are unbeaten in their last six. The teams drew 1-1 in January in their last clash with Augsburg ninth on the log with 43 points, seven ahead of 12th-placed Berlin.

M10 Chelsea vs Manchester City: FA Cup final. Chelsea have lost seven of their last 10 games in all competitions, while City are unbeaten in their last eight games and still in with an outside chance of clinching the league. City won the last clash with Chelsea 3-0 away, their 11th victory in the last 15 meetings over the last five years.