MANZINI (21 September 2026): Moneni Pirates have confirmed their claim to the title of King of soccer in the Kingdom. Fresh from capturing the 8-Bet Trade Fair Cup, they have gone on to extract revenge on their nemesis, MTN League defending champions Nsingizini Hotspurs, stinging them with a 1-0 whip in the 2026-2027 League opener at the Somhlolo Stadium on Saturday.
‘Fasa Spoko’, as they are nicknamed ticks all the boxes that raise them to the pedestal as the team to beat but otherwise unrivalled kings of Eswatini soccer in the first week of the 2026-27 season league.
Pirates are no flash-in-the pan outfit but one of the seasoned clubs that have stayed an ever-green premium Manzini city premium. In the last few years, they have even edged out Manzini Wanderers with whom they had a bitter rivalry for the 2024-25 season elbow-struggle to survive relegation.
On Saturday they came out to show Nsingizini Hotspurs just who is the boss.
Pirates is a club of the people, and have the numbers to prove it. They filled the stands in their first game at the large capacity Somhlolo Stadium though it helped that another crowd-puller, Mbabane Highlanders also played at the same venue on Saturday. Somhlolo is hosting games for the first time this year since extensive renovations to escape a FIFA blacklisting.
However pleasing beating Nsingizini must be, Pirates’ spokesman Meluleki ‘Sluga’ Simelane says they want to take the outcome of their match against Nsingizini as a normal game: “More than anything we wanted the result. Beating Nsingizini who are triple champions from last season who also come with the experience from the Africa Cup means a lot to us. It means a lot to the players, to the technical bench and to our President”.
“But we will not allow that game to go to our heads,” promised Simelane.
“Right now, we are taking it a game at a time. We want to make sure we win the next game against Young Buffaloes.”
“We want another trophy and have set ourselves a target to win the Charity Cup.”
Prates are the Phoenix that rose from the ashes following a dismal and almost disastrous 2024 season in which sharper elbows reputedly saved them from relegation.
What changed?
“What changed is that we have a strong leadership that focused us on a new winning mental attitude. We have invested in every department to ensure we are on that winning track. We have the players and a strong technical bench.”
The club’s rosy fortunes is also good news for Eswatini football and shows that ‘people’s clubs’ that are driven the love of the game, are entertaining and supported by supporters, not institutions are back on the mend.
The past decade has been dominated by strong teams that are owned and driven by government departments such as the police, army and correctional service clubs that attract almost zero public interest.
One of the best mechanisms for measuring the most popular teams people follow and want to watch is the annual Charity Cup.
Voting which closed this afternoon confirmed that Moneni Pirates were by far the most popular team. Loading to the final cut-off day for votes, they led with almost twice as many votes as the nearest contender. That changed briefly this morning, hearteningly and a good omen for the future, when National First Division (NFD) Club, Nkwene Sundowns surged ahead to post 7902 votes, trailing Pirates at second place with 5335 votes and 17% of the poll.
But by the end of the day, it was Fast Spoko that had the last laugh, again reclaiming the top spot with 8617 votes or 21.3% of all votes polled. Nkwene Sundowns came a good second with 8022 votes or 17% followed by Mbabane Highlanders, another legacy team is third placed with 5161 votes or 16.5% while Lozitha Spurs, another NFD club comes 4th at 2926 or 10.4% and Nsingizini is 5thwith 1996 votes or 7.3%.
These are the clubs that fill the stadium when they play.
Amongst the least voted clubs are strong cup winners, Young Buffaloes holding the tail at number 32 with only 2 votes, Royal Leopards are at number 29 with only 5 votes and Ngwenyama Cup winners Green Mamba with only 76 votes or 0.03 of the poll.
Moneni Pirates is identified with the late Ngungunyane Matsenjwa and was founded as Blue Birds in the eastern edge of Manzini in 60s and renamed Moneni Pirates in 1967 to emulate the success of Orlando Pirates, the Soweto club founded in 1937 by James “Sofasonke” Mpanza. Moneni Pirates and Orlando Pirates have now formed a partnership that sees Pirates academy players cutting their teeth in the Eswatini league under Moneni Pirates.
Today/jm/21.09.2026
