One final is special. Two are grand. Eighteen in 36 days? Unbelievable.
And this is what SuperSport viewers can feast on, starting this week and taking in a range of title deciders culminating in the Currie Cup final on June 24.
There has never been a time like it with football crowning 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 thrills of the next five weeks. Stay in the game – stay with SuperSport…
[For all the confirmed broadcast details, check out the TV guide]
> > > FOOTBALL < < <
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 Wydad.
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.
> > > RUGBY < < <
Saturday, 20 May – Heineken Champions Cup final
In a repeat of last year’s Heineken Championship Cup final, Irish juggernauts Leinster will look to defend their title against a La Rochelle team that is now more experienced and have a healthy dollop of South African influence.
Saturday, 27 May – Vodacom United Rugby Championship final
The Stormers will look to defend their URC title in front of a full house in Cape Town, but in their way is a giant-killing Munster outfit and a supporters army that is expected to number in their thousands.
This spicy clash between a South African and Irish team will be a fitting end to a URC season that saw teams from the two World Cup heavyweights provide consistent fireworks.
> > > CRICKET < < <
28 May – IPL final
The 74th match of an incredible IPL season, with every game broadcast live on your World of Champions. Don’t miss this match with an atmosphere like no other, as we find out who will be the 16th champions of cricket’s biggest league.
7-11 June – ICC WTC Final
Neither India or Australia would necessarily call The Oval in London a happy hunting ground, but one team will come out on top when the two combatants face each other in the ICC World Test Championship final from June 7. The top-two ranked sides in the ICC Test Team rankings will play each other in the marquee WTC final in London, England, to decide who takes over the crown from New Zealand.
> > > TENNIS < < <
10-11 June – Roland Garros finals
The Queen and King of Clay will be crowned as the finals of Roland Garros 2023 are played out on Court Phillipe Chatrier.
With Rafa Nadal out of the picture, a number of the men will be champing at the bit to take the crown he has won 14 times in the last 18 years.
On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek, the 2022 women’s champion, will be aiming for a third title in Paris.