TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 7 – 9 AUGUST 2026
CARRYOVER POOLS GALORE INCLUDING R8.5-M SOCCER 13
Opportunities abound for TAB football customers to score big this weekend with no fewer than seven carryover pools, including Saturday’s R3.6-million carryover Soccer 13 that is set to offer a bonanza R8.5-million all-13-correct jackpot pool. And there’s also a R1.7-million carryover to Sunday’s Soccer 13 that should generate a total pool of over R4 million. Wow!
PIRATES TAKE AIM AT FIFTH MTN8 TROPHY IN A ROW
The weekend is headlined by the first or quarter-final round of the MTN8, an early-season knockout competition that traces its origins to 1972 and features the top eight clubs in the league the previous term.
Orlando Pirates have dominated the MTN8 in recent years. They have won the last four editions and have not tasted defeat in the competition since losing 2-1 to Moroka Swallows in the opening round in August 2021.
Along the way Pirates have become the undisputed cup kings of South African football. They won the MTN8 three years running under Spanish coach Jose Riveiro and then last season, under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, the Buccaneers promptly won the competition again and went on to capture the Carling Black Label Knockout and the Betway Premiership, their first league title success in 14 years.
Law of averages aside, it’s hard to envisage Pirates not winning the MTN8 again. They have lost star striker Relebohile Mofokeng to Royal Union St Gilloise in Belgium, but have talented players aplenty and kicked off the new season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Milford last weekend.
They face Durban City in the first round of this season’s MTN8 – the match is M1 in Saturday’s R200,000 carryover Soccer 10 – and look a banker bet to win on home turf at the Orlando Amstel Arena.
SUNDOWNS ALL CLASS BUT MAY MISFIRE EARLY
The other MTN8 clash on Saturday sees Mamelodi Sundowns pitted against Polokwane City in Atteridgeville (M2 in the carryover Soccer 10). This will be Sundowns’ first competitive fixture of the new season because their scheduled league game last weekend was postponed after their pre-season programme was disrupted by the death of midfielder Jayden Adams.
Sundowns won African Champions League last season and should be much too slick for Polokwane at best, but the worry is that they often need a game or two to find their rhythm come a new season.
The other two MTN matches will be played on Sunday and both are included in the day’s R100,000 carryover Soccer 6. AmaZulu host Sekhukhune United at the Chatsworth Stadium followed by Kaizer Chiefs at home to Golden Arrows at Soccer City.
The advantage of playing at home should see both AmaZulu and Chiefs progress to the semi-final stage, but expect both games to be hard fought and a draw at 90 minutes might be the right way to go.
The carryover action kicks off tonight with a R200,000 carryover Soccer 10 that should total well over R2 million. Banker bets here are home wins for Wolves and Shamrock Rovers and it may pay to take a chance on Wrexham to winning away at Middlesborough in a Carabao Cup clash.
In Saturday’s carryover Soccer 13 bank on home victories for Norrkoping and Preston North End and take Blackburn to beat Burton Albion away.
MATCH PREVIEWS FOR R200,000 CARRYOVER SOCCER 10 POOLS
Friday 7 August – S10 V3
M1 Venlo vs Heracles: R200,000 carryover and pool set to total over R2 million. Dutch second division clash kicks it off. Venlo on a three-game losing streak and Heracles, relegated from the Dutch Eredivisie last season, have lost seven of last nine.
M2 Bochum vs Hertha Berlin: First round of games in the German second division in 2026-27. Bochum unbeaten in last seven games and Hertha unbeaten in five friendlies. Last meeting ended 1-1 in March. Hertha finished seven points ahead of Bochum last season.
M3 Partick Thistle vs Livingston: Second round of games in 2026-27 season in the Scottish Championship. Both teams unbeaten in last eight games and both made winning starts to the new season. Last meeting ended in a 1-1 draw. In last 15 meetings Livingston have six wins and Partick three.
M4 Club Brugge vs Kortrijk: Club Brugge won the last meeting 4-2 and lead the head-to-head record nine wins to three. Both teams have won six of their last 10 games.
M5 Derry City vs Sligo Rovers: Derry winless in last three and Sligo have lost six of last 10. Last meeting ended 0-0 in April. Derry sixth on Irish Premier Division log and eight points ahead of 10th-placed Sligo after 26 games. Head-to-head: Derry six wins and Sligo five in last 15 meetings.
M6 Wolverhampton vs Port Vale: English League Cup. Wolves, relegated from the topflight last season, have won two consecutive friendlies. Port Vale, relegated to League Two last season, are unbeaten in last five games.
M7 Wycombe Wanderers vs Stevenage: League Cup. Wycombe have won four of last six games and Stevenage are on a two-game winning streak. Wycombe won last meeting 3-1 in February.
M8 Middlesbrough vs Wrexham: League Cup. Middlesbrough winless in six games and Wrexham have lost last two. Last meeting ended 2-2 in May. Middlesbrough finished nine points ahead of Wrexham in Championship last season.
M9 Shamrock Rovers vs Dundalk: Rovers top the Irish Premier League log with 51 points, 14 ahead of Dundalk in fourth. Rovers have won six of last 10 games; Dundalk unbeaten in last three.
M10 Estoril vs Famalicao: Estoril winless in nine of last 10 games and Famalicao are unbeaten in nine of last 10. Famalicao won last meeting 1-0 away.
Saturday 8 August – S10 V1
M1 Orlando Pirates vs Durban City: MTN8 quarter-final clash kicks off this R200,000 carryover pool. Reigning PSL champs Pirates have won six of last 10 games and beat Milford 2-0 recently in first league game of new season. City lost to Sekhukhune in their first 2026-27 Betway Premiership game. Yeams drew 0-0 in May in last clash.
M2 Mamelodi Sundowns vs Polokwane City: Sundowns won last meeting 3-0. Sundowns have two draws and a loss from three friendlies in July, while Polokwane beat Richards Bay in their first league game of the new season.
M3 Queens Park Rangers vs Millwall: QPR on five-game winning streak in friendlies; Millwall have lost four of last seven games. Millwall won last meeting 2-0 in April.
M4 Burton Albion vs Blackburn Rovers: League Cup clash. Both teams have played five friendlies over the last few weeks. League One outfit Albion unbeaten in nine of last 10 games; Championship team Blackburn winless in eight of last 10.
M5 Dundee FC vs Aberdeen: Scottish Premiership. Aberdeen are on a seven-game winning streak and Dundee have won five of last nine.
M6 Fleetwood Town vs Chesterfield: Fleetwood unbeaten in eight of last nine games and Chesterfield unbeaten in eight of last 10. Last meeting ended 1-1 in April.
M7 Leyton Orient vs Oxford United: League Cup clash. Championship side Oxford have won four friendlies in a row while Leyton, who narrowly avoided relegation from League One last season, have won two friendlies in a row.
M8 Sheffield Wednesday vs Bolton Wanderers: Sheffield Wednesday, relegated to League One last season, take on new Championship side Bolton in a League Cup clash. Sheffield have won one of five friendlies, while Bolton have two wins and two draws from last four friendlies.
M9 St. Mirren vs St Johnstone: St. Mirren have won six of eight recent games and St. Johnstone eight of last 10. St. Johnstone won last clash between them 1-0 away in February.
M10 Maritimo vs Casa Pia: Marítimo unbeaten in last four games, while Casa Pia have lost three in a row.