Jose Riveiro predicts exciting Betway Premiership title race | OneFootball

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Riveiro weighs in on SA title race

Photo: M-Sports

Former Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has shared his thoughts on the current standard of South African football and predicts an exciting Betway Premiership title race this season.

The Spanish mentor guided the Buccaneers to five domestic cup titles and finished as runners-up in the league for three consecutive seasons during his tenure at the club.

Riveiro left Pirates with seven league games still to play last season, taking up the hot seat at Egyptian giants Al Ahly. However, his stint was brief as he was axed three months into the job.

Currently unattached and back in South Africa as a Carling Black Label Cup ambassador, the 50-year-old tactician believes the country's football is on a rapid rise.

“The level of the league is improving with a lot of teams this season fighting for the title. It seems to be a much more open league finally. I think the league is just getting better with different sides right now fighting for the top positions,” said Riveiro.

"We witnessed the eruption of a lot of young and talented players straight from the league to the national team as well. So, multiple factors are making South African football more and more attractive and it's nice to know that Bafana Bafana is going to the World Cup and AFCON.

Furthermore, with the dominant Mamelodi Sundowns enduring somewhat of a slow start to the 2025/26 campaign, Riveiro anticipates a thrilling title race, citing improvements of other teams.

“More teams are performing well. Recently it was difficult for everybody to follow the rhythm that Sundowns was putting in the league, this season seems slightly different and there's different sides trying to take the opportunity,” he added.

"I think Pirates is one of the cases, strong performances and consistent. In recent times Chiefs is doing better than the last season. I think we were a little bit surprised also with the performance of Sekhukhune in the first months of the competition.

"So, I think the upcoming second part of the season after Christmas is going to be really exciting and looking forward to that.