One final is special. Two are grand. A dozen in a single month? Unbelievable.
And this is what SuperSport viewers can feast on, starting this week and taking in a range of football title deciders culminating in the UEFA Nations League Final on 18 June.
There has never been a time like it with the crowning of no fewer than 10 champions, among them the UEFA Champions League winners (June 10). Manchester City and Inter Milan will gun for glory in Istanbul in a supreme clash of styles.
Here’s a rundown on the footy thrills of the next four weeks. Stay in the game – stay with SuperSport…
[For all the confirmed broadcast details, check out the TV guide]
19 May – Afcon U17 Final
There will be a new name on the Africa Cup of Nations U17 trophy. The tournament concludes in Algeria with a clash between Morocco and Senegal. It will be Morocco’s first-ever Afcon U17 final and they needed a penalty shootout to make their way through after their game against Mali had ended 0-0 in regulation time.
Senegal, also making their first-ever Afcon U17 final, needed penalties to book their place in the final after their match against Burkina Faso had ended 1-1 in regulation time.
27 May – Nedbank Cup Final
All roads lead to Loftus Stadium in Pretoria for the last available silverware on the domestic front. Orlando Pirates tackle Sekhukhune United, hoping to complete a domestic cup double. Sekhukhune, who have conceded just one goal in this campaign, will be appearing in the Nedbank Cup final for the first time hoping to end the season on a high.
There is an added incentive for Pirates striker Kermit Erasmus as he will have a chance to add to his record tally of Nedbank Cup Final goals (3). Erasmus is also, to date, the only player to score for two different clubs in a Nedbank Cup decider, netting for SuperSport United in their 2012 victory over Sundowns, before grabbing a brace for Pirates in their 3-1 success against BidVest Wits two years later.
27 May – EFL Playoff Final
The richest game in football… The EFL Championship Play Off Final 2023 will be played at Wembley Stadium in London to determine which team will advance from the EFL Championship to the Premier League. Will it be Coventry or Luton that secures the estimated £170 million that winning this final is worth?
28 May and 3 June – CAF Confed Cup Final
Teams: TBC
Young Africans, Marumo, ASEC and USM are carrying the hopes of four countries who have never lifted the Confederation Cup since its introduction in 2004. Young Africans have one foot in the final following a 2-0 semifinal first leg win. On the other hand, the semifinal clash between ASEC and USM is evenly poised following a 0-0 first leg draw. The final will be played over two legs on 28 May and 3 June.
31 May – UEFA Europa League Final
Jose Mourinho’s Roma and Europa Cup kings Sevilla will contest this final after overcoming Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus respectively in the semis.
Roma will be looking to upgrade their trophy from last season after capturing the Uefa Conference League in 2022.
3 June – FA Cup Final
Man United will do everything in their power to prevent bitter rivals Man City from winning the treble. City, however, will be high in confidence following a sensational run that has seen them overtake Arsenal at the final hurdle in an effort to lift the Premier League trophy. For United, this presents an opportunity to add another cup (having already secured the Carabao Cup) to their trophy collection.
4 and 11 June – CAF Champions League Final
Teams: TBC
Egyptian giants Al Ahly appear to have booked their place in the final following a 3-0 semifinal first leg win against Esperance. But the Tunisians know well that the tie is far from over and will hope for a miracle in the second leg. The other semifinal is tightly poised following a 0-0 first leg in Morocco, but advantage points to Sundowns, who ended the match with nine players against Wyded.
7 June – Europa Conference League Final
West Ham reached their first European final for 47 years after a 1-0 victory at AZ Alkmaar clinched a 3-1 aggregate success in the Europa Conference League semifinals.
They will face Fiorentina, who overcame a a 2-1 home defeat against Basel to win the second leg 3-1 in Switzerland and go through 4-3 on aggregate.
10 June – UEFA Champions League Final
The UEFA Champions League final is set to be an absolute thriller as Manchester City and Inter Milan clash in Istanbul.
Pep Guardiola’s City are on course for a treble this season – but a first Champions League title – after demolishing Real Madrid 4-0 in the second leg of their semifinal – while Inter are looking to end a 13-year wait for the ultimate European football title.
18 June – UEFA Nations League Final
Croatia, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands will contest the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League finals after topping their League A groups. Spain (2021) and the Netherlands (2019) were runners-up in the first two editions while Italy finished third two years ago. For Croatia, the tournament in June will be their first finals appearance.