TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 22 – 24 MAY 2026
R1-MILLION CASH BONANZA – DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE
This weekend brings the final rounds of matches in the premier leagues in South Africa and England, and TAB has maximised a grand climax to the 2025-26 season by adding an incredible R1 million to eight pools in the form of cash add-ins and carryovers. Plus there’s a R1.7-million carryover to Saturday’s Soccer 13 and guaranteed R17.5-million Soccer 13 jackpot on Sunday in the event of one outright winner. No doubt about it – for TAB football customers it’s the weekend of the year and it’s loaded with opportunities to win an astonishing amount of money for as little as R2. Don’t miss out on your chance to transform your life in a flash!
LOADS OF TRAUMA HEADING INTO FINAL WEEKEND
Fittingly, the last few days have been loaded with shock news and controversy as we head towards the final curtain. Manchester City lost their chance of snatching the English Premier League title on the last day when they could only draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
That was hardly a surprise, especially given the game came only three days after City beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final and was prefaced in the morning by the news that coach and serial trophy winner Pep Guardiola was about to bid farewell to the perpetual Manchester rain.
That news, although predictable for a variety of reasons, hardly put City players in the right mood for the game against Bournemouth that evening and the 1-1 result handed Arsenal their first EPL championship since they went through the 2003-04 season unbeaten under the incomparable Arsene Wenger. Like Guardiola would do subsequently, Wenger transformed several aspects of English soccer and raised it to a new level.
No sooner had the news of Guardiola’s impending departure sunk in than it was announced that Southampton had been expelled from the Championship playoffs to decide the third team to earn promotion to the EPL as a result of spying on the training sessions of rival clubs.
The penalty looks much too harsh but Southampton lost a subsequent appeal and have been replaced by Middlesbrough in Saturday’s final against Hull. The game is M9 in tomorrow’s R200,000-added Soccer 10 and all choices will now qualify in terms of TAB rules because the match details as originally published have changed.
And that was followed by an explosion of controversy arising from the announcement that England coach Thomas Tuchel had excluded big names like Harry Maguire and Phil Foden from the squad for the forthcoming World Cup. More about that another time!
MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR PIRATES IN MBOMBELA
Arsenal may have clinched the EPL title, but our own Betway Premiership still hangs in the balance with Orlando Pirates needing to beat relegation-threatened Orbit College if they are to snatch the league title away from Mamelodi Sundowns.
Pirates are away at the Mbombela Stadium, where Orbit have moved the match from the North West Province, and a capacity crowd looks guaranteed with Bucs fans sure to flock there in anticipation of their team winning the championship.
A draw against Pirates would see Orbit avoid last place, so there is massive incentive to try and upset the Buccaneers. That said Pirates should outclass their rivals and look a banker to win in Saturday’s R200,000-added Soccer 10 and R200,000 carryover Any 13 Xtra unless nerves in a pressure-cooker clash turn their legs to jelly.
The relegation battle is also not over for Chippa United, who cannot finish last but can end in 15th spot and be forced into the promotion-relegation playoff if they lose at Kaizer Chiefs and other results go against them. Gallants are also not out of trouble and head to Bloemfontein to face Stellenbosch in Saturday’s final round of fixtures, which all kick off at the same time.
The only hope of survival for bottom-placed Magesi is a home win and for Orbit and Gallants to lose. Magesi have lost five of their last seven games with a single win and just do not look capable of getting themselves out of the hole.
There is still one place up for grabs in the top eight, but only if cup winners Durban City falter in their derby clash against AmaZulu. If so, Stellenbosch and/or Siwelele can still sneak in and grab a berth in next season’s MTN8.
WHO’S GOING DOWN – SPURS OR WEST HAM?
There’s also still plenty at stake in the final round of EPL matches on Sunday. The battle for places in European club competitions next season is going all the way to the wire and, much more important for Spurs and West Ham fans, is which one of these two famous London clubs will be relegated.
Spurs go into their last game of the season – at home to Everton – needing one point to retain their EPL status, whereas West Ham can only avoid relegation if they beat Leeds at home and Spurs lose to Everton.
You have to fancy Spurs to survive but there are no guarantees. Everton have little to play for and Roberto De Zerbi has done a decent job of improving Spurs since taking over.
That said Leeds also have little to play for against West Ham and avoiding injuries, rather than winning, may be the first priority for both visiting teams. Against that you have to weigh up what impact the pressure of potential relegation will have on Spurs and West Ham with both likely to be desperate rather than clinical. Fascinating!
BANKER BETS FOR THE CASH-BOOSTED SOCCER 10 POOLS
The first of three R200,000-added weekend Soccer 10 pools is tonight and victories for Trabzonspor in the Turkish Cup and Lens in the French equivalent look the top banker bets, while the Manchester City under-18 team should put Chelsea to the sword in the under-18 Premier League playoff.
Banker arch-rivals Kaizer Chief and Orlando Pirates to win their respective games in tomorrow’s R200,000-added Soccer 10 and then in Sunday’s R200,000-added Soccer 10, which comprises the final 10 EPL matches of the season, home wins for Liverpool over Brentford, Manchester City over Villa and Sunderland against Chelsea look the right bankers.
MATCH PREVIEWS FOR THREE R200,000-ADDED SOCCER 10 BETS
Fri 22 May – S10 V2
M1 Trabzonspor vs Konyaspor:This R200,000-added Soccer 10 should total over R2 million and provides an exciting start to a fantastic final weekend of the 2025-26 season. The Turkish cup final kicks off the bet and Trabzonspor have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Konyaspor have won six of their last 10. Konyaspor won the last clash 2-1 on home turf 25 days ago, but in the last 15 meetings Trabzonspor have won seven times to Konyaspor’s four.
M2 Chelsea U18 vs Manchester City U18: Premier League U18 final with Chelsea, winner of the South Group, pitted against North Group winners City. Chelsea have won nine league games in a row, while City have won seven of their last 10 in all competitions. The teams last met in the FA Youth Cup with City winning 4-1 away from home.
M3 FC Sudtirol vs Bari 1908: Relegation playoff in Serie B with the loser demoted. Sudtirol are winless in their last 10 league games, while Bari are unbeaten in three. The teams drew 0-0 in their last two meetings. Sudtirol finished 16th with 41 points, one point ahead of Bari.
M4 Rot-Weiss Essen vs Greuther Furth: Promotion-relegation playoff in 2.Bundesliga. Essen have won seven of their last 10 games in the lower tier, while Furth have lost five of their last nine and will be relegated if they lose.
M5 Derry City vs St Patrick’s Athletic: Derry are winless in four games, while St Pats have won five of their last 10. St Pats are second in the Irish Premier League on 31 points, 11 ahead of sixth-placed Derry.
M6 Fiorentina vs Atalanta: Fiorentina have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10 games, while Atalanta have lost five of their last 10. Atalanta won the last meeting 2-0 in November and are seventh in Serie A with 58 points, 17 ahead of 15th-placed Fiorentina.
M7 Galway United vs Bohemians: Bohemians are unbeaten in four games and are third in the table, eight points ahead of seventh-placed Galway. Bohemians won the last meeting 1-0 in March and have won nine of the last 15 encounters. M8 Wexford FC vs UC Dublin: Wexford are on a three-game losing streak in the Irish second division, while UCD have won six of their last 10 league games. The teams drew 0-0 in their last clash. UCD are second on the log, five points ahead of fourth-placed Wexford.
M9 Drogheda United vs Dundalk: Drogheda have lost four of their last eight league matches, while Dundalk have won five of their last 10 in all competitions. The teams drew 1-1in their last meeting but Dundalk are fourth with 25 points, six ahead of eighth-placed Drogheda.
M10 Lens vs Nice: French cup final. Lens have won five of their last nine games in all competitions, while Nice are winless in their last four Ligue 1 fixtures. The last meeting between the teams ended 1-1 recently.
Sat 23 May – S10 V3
M1 Durban City vs AmaZulu: The last round of Betway Premiership matches in the 2025-26 term make up the bulk of the games in this R200,000-added bet, which is set to generate a bumper pool. KZN derby with City are unbeaten in five games, while AmaZulu are winless in three. AmaZulu are fourth with 44 points, five ahead of eighth-placed City.
M2 Kaizer Chiefs vs Chippa United: Chiefs have won six of their last 10 games, while Chippa are winless in five. Chiefs are third with 54 points, 29 more than 13th-placed Chippa.
M3 Kalmar FF vs Degerfors IF: Swedish premier division clash. Kalmar have lost four of their last seven games, while Degerfors are winless in four. Degerfors are 11th, two places and two points ahead of 13th-placed Kalmar after eight games.
M4 Golden Arrows vs TS Galaxy FC: Arrows are unbeaten in six games and Galaxy in their last three. Galaxy won the last meeting 2-1 and in the last 14 meetings have won seven times with five draws. Arrows are sixth with 40 points, nine ahead of 12th-placed Galaxy.
M5 Magesi vs Richards Bay: Magesi are on a three-game losing streak, while Richards Bay are unbeaten in their last seven. Richards Bay won the last meeting 1-0 and lead Magesi by 13 points in the PSL table.
M6 Marumo Gallants vs Stellenbosch: Gallants are winless in nine games, while Stellenbosch have avoided defeat in seven of their last 10. Stellenbosch beat Gallants 4-0 in their last clash and are ninth with 36 points, 12 ahead of 14th-placed Gallants.
M7 Orbit College FC vs Orlando Pirates: Orbit have been unable to win in eight of their last nine games and are in the relegation zone, while Pirates are unbeaten in their last 10 and must win here to take the league title. Pirates are second in the PSL table with 66 points, 42 ahead of 15th-placed Orbit.
M8 Sekhukhune United vs Siwelele FC: Sekhukhune have been unable to win in eight of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Siwelele have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10 league fixtures. Sekhukhune are fifth on the log and seven points ahead of 10th-placed Siwelele.
M9 Hull City vs Southampton: Championship promotion final with the winner being promoted to the EPL. Southampton are unbeaten in their last four and Hull in their last three. Southampton won the last meeting between them 2-1 away in January, but this game can go either way.
M10 Bologna vs Inter Milan: Last-round clash in Serie A. Bologna have won two in a row, while Inter have already secured the league title and head the log with 86 points, 13 points ahead of second-placed Napoli and 31 more than Bologna.
Sun 24 May – S10 V1
M1 Brighton vs Manchester United: Third R200,000-added Soccer 10 of the weekend and it’s a cracker pool comprising the last round of games in the English Premier League this season. Brighton have won six of their last 10 league games, while United are unbeaten in five. The teams last met in the FA Cup with Brighton winning 2-1 away. United are third in the league, 15 points ahead of seventh-placed Brighton.
M2 Burnley vs Wolverhampton: Burnley are winless in 10 EPL games, while Wolves are winless in eight across all competitions. Burnley won the last meeting 3-2 in October and are second last on 21 points, two more than Wolves.
M3 Crystal Palace vs Arsenal: Palace are winless in their last three league games, while Arsenal are unbeaten in five across all competitions. The last meeting between them ended 1-1 in the League Cup. Arsenal head the table with 82 points, 37 ahead of 15th-placed Palace, and go into this game having already clinched the title.
M4 Fulham vs Newcastle United: Fulham are winless in their last three league games, while Newcastle have lost five of their last eight in all competitions. Newcastle won the last meeting between them in the League Cup in December and are 11th in the table, level on points with 13th-placed Fulham.
M5 Liverpool vs Brentford: Liverpool have lost six of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Brentford have been unable to win in nine of their last 10. Brentford won the last clash between them 3-2. Liverpool are fifth on the table with 59 points, seven ahead of ninth-placed Brentford.
M6 Manchester City vs Aston Villa: City are unbeaten in 11 games while Villa are unbeaten in three. Villa won the last meeting between the sides 1-0, but second-placed City are 15 points ahead of fourth-placed Villa and will aim to give manager Pep Guardiola a winning send-off.
M7 Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth: Notts have won five of their last eight games, while Bournemouth are unbeaten in 11 EPL matches. Bournemouth won 2-0 when the teams last met and are sixth, 12 points ahead of 16th-placed Notts in the table.
M8 Sunderland vs Chelsea: Sunderland are unbeaten in their last three league games, while Chelsea have lost six of their last 10 in all competitions. Sunderland won the last meeting 2-1 away and are 10th with 51 points, a point behind eighth-placed Chelsea.
M9 Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton: Spurs had two wins and two draws from four league games before losing to Chelsea midweek, while Everton are winless in their last six. Spurs won the last meeting between them 3-0 last October, but Everton are 12th on 49 points, 11 points above their rivals on the log. Spurs must draw, or win, to be sure of avoiding relegation.
M10 West Ham United vs Leeds United: West Ham are on a three-game losing streak in the league, while Leeds have avoided defeat in nine of their last 10 in all competitions. The last meeting between them yielded a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup. Leeds are 14th with 47 points, 11 ahead of 18th-placed West Ham who can only avoid relegation if they win here and Spurs lose.