PIC: Mamelodi Sundowns have reached the most Nedbank Cup semi-finals

Three debutants in this year’s Nedbank Cup semi-finals mean a total of 30 teams have reached the last four of the competition since 2008, but which clubs have been there the most?

Casric Stars, Durban City and Milford FC will all be appearing at this stage for the first time, while TS Galaxy will make their second appearance after stunning on debut when they lifted the trophy as a second-tier side in 2019.

Galaxy host second-tier Milford in this year’s semi-finals, while Durban City welcome Casric Stars, who are also from the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

It is an unfamiliar line-up for this stage of the Nedbank Cup, where at least one of the so-called ‘Big 3’ has almost always featured, especially in recent years.

Between Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, they have 23 semi-final appearances in the 19 years of the Nedbank Cup.

With 72 semi-final places having been up for grabs, that equates to 32% of them being filled by those three clubs.

Sundowns lead the way with 10 appearances, of which they have won six. They lost on penalties to AmaZulu in 2010, to go with defeats to Maritzburg United (2018), Marumo Gallants (2021) and Kaizer Chiefs (2025) just last season.

They have beaten AmaZulu (2008), Free State Stars (2012), Vasco da Gama (2015), BidVest Wits (2020), Royal AM (2022) and Stellenbosch FC (2024).

Pirates have been to the semi-finals on seven occasions and won every time, an incredible record of consistency and dealing with big-pressure moments.

Their first semi-final was in 2011 when they defeated Mpumalanga Black Aces, before wins over Maritzburg United (2014), Free State Stars (2016), Lamontville Golden Arrows (2017), Kaizer Chiefs (2023), Chippa United (2024) and Marumo Gallants (2025).

By contrast, Kaizer Chiefs’ six semi-final appearances have resulted in just three wins as they beat second-tier United FC (2013), Chippa United (2019) and Sundowns (2025), but lost to BidVest Wits (2014), Free State Stars (2018) and Pirates (2023).

Free State Stars and SuperSport United have both appeared in five semi-finals, while the perhaps unlikely name of Chippa United has featured in four. They are yet to lift the trophy, though, as the club that has reached the last four the most times without doing so.

Teams who have been there three times are AmaZulu, Baroka FC, BidVest Wits and Marumo Gallants.

The case of Baroka is a unique one: they are the only club to reach a Nedbank Cup semi-final as a third-tier side, and they have also done it while in the second tier and the top flight.

It is unlikely, but not impossible, that their record will be matched.

TEAMS TO HAVE REACHED THE NEDBANK CUP SEMI-FINALS

10 – Mamelodi Sundowns

7 – Orlando Pirates

6 – Kaizer Chiefs

5 – Free State Stars, SuperSport United

4 – Chippa United

3 – AmaZulu, Baroka FC, Bidvest Wits, Marumo Gallants

2 – Ajax Cape Town, Black Leopards, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Maritzburg United, Mpumalanga Black Aces, Stellenbosch FC, TS Galaxy

1 – Bloemfontein Celtic, Casric Stars, Durban City, Milford FC, Moroka Swallows, Platinum Stars, Pretoria Callies, Royal AM, Sekhukhune United, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, United FC, University of Pretoria, Vasco da Gama