Mamelodi Sundowns moved one step closer to the CAF Champions League final with a narrow 1-0 victory over Tunisian club Esperance in the first leg of their semi-final on Sunday evening. However, if they progress to the final, it could pose significant challenges for the Premier Soccer League.
The Brazilians are set to host the return leg in Pretoria on Saturday, where a draw or better will secure them a spot in the final for the second consecutive year.
A Champions League final appearance will complicate matters for the PSL, which is racing against the clock to wrap up the Betway Premiership season before the May 24 deadline, ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Scheduled for the weekends of May 15-17 and May 24, the two-legged final of the Champions League could clash with existing league fixtures.
The PSL’s official site indicates that Sundowns have already been taken off the final round fixtures scheduled for May 23.
This decision contradicts league regulations stating all matches in the final two rounds of the championship must be conducted simultaneously to prevent match manipulation.
The PSL has rescheduled Sundowns’ home match against Polokwane City, initially set for that date, to May 3. This alteration leads to Sundowns facing Polokwane in back-to-back games within five days, resembling a two-legged fixture.
As a result, the final matchday will now feature seven fixtures instead of the usual eight.
Moreover, Sundowns still have a game scheduled in the penultimate round against TS Galaxy on May 16, which will also need to be adjusted if they advance to the Champions League final.
The only viable option for rescheduling is to move it to May 13, just a few days ahead of the first leg of the final. This timeframe poses difficulties for everyone involved.
Without shifting the entire penultimate round to that date, it would again breach league regulations.
This situation also raises concerns for sponsors and broadcasters, as the climax of an already thrilling Betway Premiership season finds itself relegated to midweek, away from the public eye.
This situation mirrors last year when Sundowns reached the final and were absent from the last day of the season.
The key difference this time is that they clinched the league title much earlier last year, while this season’s race remains tight.
The PSL must carefully reconsider its scheduling for next season, as top leagues like the Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga do not alter their matches when teams advance to the UEFA Champions League final.
The league’s position could very well be influenced by CAF, whose deadlines can be unpredictable and often lack clarity at the beginning of the season.
This all threatens to overshadow an exhilarating Betway Premiership title race and turn it into an anticlimax.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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