OPINION: MTN8 final: Let’s hope football, not refereeing, takes centre stage

As a football fan, I wish I was more excited about the MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. I know I am not the only one hoping that when it is all said and done in Durban, football will be the winner.

This should be a celebration of South African football. Two of the biggest clubs in the country will go head-to-head in what will be a sold-out affair, with supporters eager to see a quality final.

Far too often, we end up talking about the man in the middle instead of the football itself. Hopefully, that will not be the case this time around. There is no hiding from the fact that our officials have continuously dropped the ball when it comes to games of consequence in the PSL.

We don’t have to look too far for examples. When Pirates and Sundowns met in the MTN8 final in 2023, several contentious decisions dominated the conversation. Even today, supporters still talk about some of those poor calls.

Then came the 2024 Nedbank Cup final between the same two sides, where refereeing decisions once again became the biggest talking points after the game.

Don’t even get me started on the 2024 MTN8 final between Pirates and Stellenbosch FC. A controversial restart in stoppage time that led to a goal, taken significantly far from where the foul had occurred left a stain on the match.

This should not be seen as a personal attack on any club. It is simply an attempt to highlight a problem that has become impossible to ignore as poor officiating in big games has consequences.

These decisions live long in the memories of football supporters. The 1998 Rothmans Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns is still being remembered for all the wrong reasons 28 years later.

I have written in this column before about the need for VAR, because there must be a solution to this recurring problem. Football will always have controversial moments but having the technology available to help officials correct clear and obvious errors can only improve confidence in the decision-making process.

That said, we should not have to wait for VAR to demand fair and consistent officiating. We should be able to watch a major final and not debate refereeing decisions. Instead, we should be discussing tactics, individual performances and the quality of the football.

The most disheartening part, from a player’s perspective, is that football ultimately belongs to them. They put in the hard work, make sacrifices and train for months for moments like these.

Coaches are often scrutinised and even lose their jobs following unfavourable results in games of this magnitude. Yet, it feels like business as usual for referees who return to the field after a cooling off period, with little evidence that corrective measures taken are improving the overall standard of officiating.

Ahead of this MTN8 final, my hope is simple, let the players be headline makers. Let the tactics and performances be central to the conversation. Most importantly, let football be the winner.