Orlando Pirates F.C.

Orlando Pirates
Full nameOrlando Pirates Football Club
Nickname(s)
  • The Sea Robbers
  • Bucs
  • Happy People
  • Buccaneers
  • Ezimnyama Ngenkani
  • Ezikamagebhula
Mabakabaka
Short namePirates
Founded1937 (1937), as Orlando Boys Club
GroundOrlando Stadium
Capacity37,313[1]
ChairmanIrvin Khoza
ManagerJosé Riveiro
LeagueDStv Premiership
2022–232nd of 16
WebsiteClub website
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Current season
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Orlando Pirates Football Club (often known as "The Buccaneers") is a South African professional football club based in Orlando, Soweto that plays in the top-tier system of Football in South Africa known as DStv Premiership. The team plays its home matches at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.[2]

The club was founded in 1937 and was originally based in Orlando, Soweto.[3] They were named "amapirate" which means 'Pirates' in IsiZulu after the band of teenagers that originally formed an amateur football club at Orlando Boys Club broke away and started congregating at the home of one of the people that worked at Orlando Boys Club.[4] Orlando Pirates are the first club since the inception of the Premier Soccer League in 1996 to have won three major trophies in a single season back to back, having won the domestic league ABSA Premiership, the FA Cup Nedbank Cup and the Top 8 Cup MTN 8 during the ABSA Premiership 2010–11 season and domestic league ABSA Premiership, the League Cup Telkom Knockout and the Top 8 Cup MTN 8 during the ABSA Premiership 2011–12 season.[5] They are one of only two South African teams with Mamelodi Sundowns to win the CAF Champions League, which they won in 1995. They are the runners-up of the 2015 and 2021–2022 CAF Confederation Cup.[6]

Pirates have won 9 league titles and 36 trophies in total.[7]

  1. ^ "Orlando Stadium sponsored by Lafarge". Stadium Management SA. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  2. ^ Ditlotlhobolo, Austin (23 June 2021). "How did Orlando Pirates get their name?". Goalpedia. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  3. ^ "History – Chapter 1: A)Orlando Pirates are famously known for being the first South African team to win the African Champions League in 1995. BUILDING THE HOUSE OF PIRATES (1937–59)". OrlandoPiratesFC.com. Orlando Pirates FC. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Orlando Pirates clinch treble". News24. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  6. ^ "CAF Confederations Cup live scores, results, Football Africa - FlashScore". flashscore.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Trophy Cabinet". Orlando Pirates Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.