Ethekwini mayor Xaba says MTN8 final venue doesn’t pay money to host games at Moses Mabhida

Ethekwini mayor Cyril Xaba has clarified the municipality does not pay any money to host major Premier Soccer League (PSL) cup finals at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

This comes after the PSL on Monday announced the iconic venue in Durban will host the blockbuster MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns on October 10 at 6pm.

This means eight of the last 10 MTN8 finals would have been hosted at the stadium. Xaba said that is because KwaZulu-Natal is a tourist destination of choice.

“They just want to come here, we don’t do anything like pay for the matches. We don’t do that, people just love Durban because of the electric atmosphere they find here,” Xaba said.

“We are a tourism attraction of choice and MTN themselves know they are likely to market their brand well. We are one of the big metros, accommodation establishments are there and there is a lot of tourism endowment such as beaches and ubuntu of the people.

“There will be no need for us to pay, except to produce what we have by spending money on getting our beaches clean ensuring we support our tourist establishments and all roleplayers in the value chain.

“This will be the launch pad for our festive season.”

Ethekwini executive director of community services Vusi Mazibuko said Moses Mabhida was not previously not available for matches in the 2026-27 domestic season to ensure the pitch would be ready if the 2010 World Cup semifinal venue was considered for the final.

“On the issue of readiness, specifically about stadiums in KZN, the reason Moses Mabhida has not been available is that there is work being done here.

“The stadium has been selective in which matches to host. That unavailability made King’s Park across [the road] be available to host some of the matches that would ordinarily have been hosted here.

“The stadium management had a plan that they want to host finals and they have been planning to host this final. Part of that plan included what will be allowed on the pitch so that if the announcement is made it must favour the stadium.

“Part of that requirement will be readiness of the pitch because it gets inspected. When the Durban City match [a 1-0 Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round win against Burundi’s Rukinzo FC on September 6] happened, unfortunately it rained and the pitch deteriorated.

“The work needed to be done to be ready to contest for the final and the content that was going to happen between that match and the announcement of the final needed to be shifted.

“Hence a Golden Arrows match could not be taken in anticipation that if we get the final, we must be ready. Those were strategic decisions that were taken in preparation for the announcement to favour us.”

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