Orlando Pirates Relegated from Premiership for First Time

One of Southern Africa’s leading football clubs has been relegated to the second tier after a disappointing season.

Pirates lost to Stars, sealing their fate. This defeat confirmed the Buccaneers’ relegation. It’s the club’s first-ever demotion.

Orlando Pirates Relegated from Namibian Premiership After Loss to African Stars

Orlando Pirates Sports Club has been relegated from the Namibian Premiership for the first time after a 2-0 loss to African Stars this past weekend.

Known as the Buccaneers, Pirates ended the season with 26 points from 30 matches, placing them 15th out of 16 teams in the league standings.

As a result, the Buccaneers are one of three teams demoted to the country’s First Division.

Did You Know?

Orlando Pirates SC was founded in 1963 in Katutura, a township in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia.

The name “Orlando Pirates SC” was suggested by Namibian students Erkie Claasen and Harald Sam, who were studying in South Africa at the time.

In 1990, the Buccaneers became the first team to win the newly established Namibia Premiership, and they secured another league title in 2008.

Former Orlando Pirates SC Players in South Africa

Several former Orlando Pirates SC players have had careers in the PSL or NFD in South Africa, including Robert Nauseb, Riaan Hanamub, and Theophilus ‘Ronaldo’ Tsowaseb.

Nauseb played for Orlando Pirates SC between 1993 and 1994 before joining a range of South African clubs, including Kaizer Chiefs, Hellenic, Bloemfontein Celtic, Ajax Cape Town, Santos, and Ikapa Sporting.

AmaZulu FC star Hanamub was signed by Jomo Cosmos from Orlando Pirates SC in 2018 and later played for Chippa United for two years before joining AmaZulu.

Tsowaseb was recruited by the Soweto-based Orlando Pirates from their Namibian counterpart in January 2014. After a brief and unsuccessful six-month spell with the Pirates, he moved to Chippa United.

What’s Next for Orlando Pirates?

Orlando Pirates SC will soon begin preparations for Namibia’s Southern Stream First Division, aiming to secure promotion and return to the elite league next season.

Meanwhile, Jose Riveiro’s Orlando Pirates are in Cape Town for a critical PSL match against Cape Town City scheduled for Wednesday.