Orlando Pirates have issued an official apology and announced a ticket refund process for legitimate supporters who were turned away from the Orlando Amstel Arena during Saturday’s Betway Premiership opener against Milford FC.
The decision to close stadium gates was made by the Venue Operations Centre (VOC) to ensure spectator safety after criminal syndicates sold counterfeit tickets and attempted to breach stadium access points.
Incident Summary & Refund Process
- Cause of Lockdown: Ticket-touting syndicates selling counterfeit tickets and facilitating illegal entry forced safety officials to lock down stadium access gates.
- Refund Partner: Pirates have appointed Open Tickets to process refunds for affected supporters holding legitimate tickets.
- How to Claim: Fans denied entry despite holding valid match tickets can submit claims by emailing
support@opentickets.co.za. - Match Outcome & Upcoming Fixtures: Pirates began their league title defense with a 2–0 victory over Milford FC. They host Durban City in an MTN8 quarter-final on Saturday, 8 August 2026 (15:00), followed by an away fixture against AmaZulu on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 (19:30).
