Does Mbekezeli Mbokazi's exit put Orlando Pirates’ league title ambitions under threat?
Orlando Pirates will have to play the second half of the Betway Premiership season without defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who will be moving to Chicago Fire after the Africa Cup of Nations.
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Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and MLS outfit Chicago Fire both confirmed earlier this month that defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi will be moving to the United States after the Africa Cup of Nations.
The move, which got a massive thumbs down from Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, represents a chance for the 20-year-old to get out of his comfort zone and test himself in a different country while adapting to a new culture.
Financially, the deal is a good piece of business by Pirates. They will pocket a reported R51 million, while Mbokazi – who will occupy a U-22 initiative slot and an international roster position – will see an increase in how much money he takes home. According to the MLS website, players in the U-22 initiative slot can earn a minimum of $150,000 (R2.5 million) a year.
When looking at the money, it becomes clear why the deal was made, and it makes sense. However, on the football side of things, it puts Pirates’ title hopes at a major disadvantage.
Ezimnyama ngenkani ezikamagebhula have made a brilliant start to the 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign. After 12 games, they sit at the top and are everyone’s favourites to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns as the perennial kings of South African football.
More importantly, with Mbokazi pulling the strings at the back, they have conceded just five goals in the league. With the 20-year-old as captain, the club lifted the Carling Knockout after defeating Marumo Gallants 1-0 in Polokwane earlier this month. His final act as an Orlando Pirates player was hoisting the Carling Knockout trophy aloft.
TLB’s defensive strengths gave Orlando Pirates vital stability, with his ball-winning ability and sharp reading of the game helping to break up opposition transitions before they threatened the back line. His discipline in holding his position allowed the team’s more adventurous midfielders and fullbacks to push forward with confidence, while his physicality and aggression in duels set the tone in further up the field.
Crucially, his calmness on the ball after winning it, playing simple, secure passes, helped Pirates retain possession and rebuild attacks without unnecessary risk. Altogether, his presence provided a dependable shield in big moments and added balance, control, and composure to the team’s defensive structure.
Without Mbokazi’s calming influence, Pirates might find it tough to keep opposition teams at bay. To unseat Sundowns, they need their best players available at all times. Losing Mbokazi halfway through the season will definitely not help their cause.
Pirates now face a defining test of their character and depth. Losing a player as influential as Mbokazi at this stage of the campaign could easily derail their momentum, but champions are measured by how they respond to adversity, not how they perform when everything goes their way.
And with their defensive anchor having departed before their campaign entered its most demanding stretch, Pirates’ once-promising title charge suddenly looks far more fragile for the second half of the season.
IOL Sport
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