The Carling Black Label Cup, an annual pre-season match featuring Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, celebrates a decade in 2021. In 2021, it will be played on 31 July at the FNB Stadium.
Pirates have won the event five times, while Chiefs have been victorious on just three occasions.
Everytime Pirates and Chiefs clash, everything literally comes to a standstill in the country. The two sides will again face each other in the pre-season match in 2021.
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The 2020 edition had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was only the second time that the event was called off. In 2018, it had to give way to the FIFA World Cup.
2021’s tournament ambassador is multiple CAF Player of the Year winner, Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroonian says he is happy for the fans.
Eto’o says he is honoured to be part of the event and that it is only proper for fans to be the ones choosing the starting line-up for their teams.
The fans will once again be given the chance to select the starting line-ups of the two sides. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans will not be allowed in the venue.
The sponsor’s Arno Rust says they hope to have two supporters in attendance.
“The only game in the world that is driven by the fans is back. It’s going to be an 8 o’clock night time kickoff. We still believe in empowering the fans.”
The coaches are happy that the supporters will be in charge on the day.
Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt says he is relieved that someone else will fill his boots on the day.
“Yeah, it’s an exciting concept, looking forward to it. Yeah, it’s still a long way away, but we are looking forward to it and we will see when we get there.”
Pirates’ Josef Zinnbauer says he will be on hand to give some advice to the champion coach.
“They can vote the players they want. And we have a coach who gets experience as a supporter and he gets the feeling directly from the bench.”
The match will be played on the 31 July at the FNB Stadium.
