PSL Squad Breakdown: Sundowns, Pirates and Chiefs

The 2025/26 PSL season has revealed an interesting approach in how the big three teams manage their squad demographics. With the immediate pressure to deliver silverware always at the forefront of expectations, teams take different approaches with regards to the ages of players they use. Our latest breakdown shows the differences in recruitment, development strategies between the top three teams Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, and Mamelodi Sundowns.

Kaizer Chiefs

It is safe to say that Kaizer Chiefs are in a rebuilding phase. This is true for both the squad and their coaches. After the departure of Nasredine Nabi, Chiefs opted to go for continuity by giving his assistant coaches the coaching role until the end of the season. At their disposal, is a squad that leans heavily on the ‘prime’ and ‘senior’ players. According to the visual below:

• Squad Breakdown: 14 players fall into the 25 – 29 age bracket, supported by 10 players currently over 30 years of age.
• Youth Presence: Only 8 players are aged 21 – 24, and a solitary player is under 20 years old.

The under 20 outlier is the 19-year-old striker Luke Baartman. Despite his high potential, Baartman has found consistent game time difficult to come by, featuring in just 5 league matches for a total of 97 minutes this season. This suggests that while Amakhosi are identifying young talent, the technical team remains cautious about thrusting them into the starting lineup in a transitional period for the club.

Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates have strongly challenged defending champions Sundowns this season, whilst also being the trendsetters for youth integration. Their squad profile is well balanced, with a clear focus on young players. After all, their best player this season is a 21 year old, and he has been ably supported by other young players in the team.

• Squad Breakdown: A league-high 14 players in the 21 – 24 year old bracket, with 13 in the 25 – 29 range.
• Longevity: On the other end, only 5 players are over 30, making them one of the ‘freshest’ squads in the title race.

Depending on young stars like Relebohile Mofokeng and others in the 21 – 24 age bracket has translated into a high-intensity playing style that has kept them within touching distance of the top of the table.

Sundowns

The reigning champions continue to rely on a ‘win-now’ philosophy. Their squad is the most experienced of the three, prioritizing seasoned professionals to manage the intense domestic and CAF Champions League schedules.

• Squad Breakdown: 15 players are aged 30 or older.
• Youth Integration: They have four players under 20, the highest among the Big Three
• They have six players in the 21 – 24 year old bracket.

Sundowns’ depth is their greatest weapon. The team has always been built around a core of older players who will feature most whilst also successfully integrating young talents like Siyabonga Mabena and Kutlwano Letlhaku (19 and 20 years old). This blend has allowed them to rotate effectively without losing any competitive edge in a season.

Summary of the Big Three

The squad data highlights a clear difference between the current top three on the log. Orlando Pirates are building for the now and sustained future, focused around a young core. Sundowns utilize their big spending budget and massive squad size to balance a veteran starting XI with the league’s most promising players. Kaizer Chiefs, meanwhile, remain somewhat caught in the middle, still searching for the right balance between experience and the next generation.