Orlando Pirates Face Al Ittihad in Key Pre-Season Friendly During Spanish Training Camp
Orlando Pirates will continue their preparations for the new season with a challenging pre-season friendly against Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad at the Banus Football Centre in Marbella, Spain. The match is scheduled for Monday, 21 July 2026, with kick-off set for 19:00 SAST. It will be the Soweto giants’ third fixture of their Spanish training camp as they continue building fitness, improving tactical cohesion and integrating several new signings into the squad. Head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou will be eager to use the encounter to assess his team’s progress against quality international opposition. With the new season approaching quickly, every minute on the pitch will play an important role in ensuring the squad is ready for the competitive campaign ahead.
Pirates have enjoyed a positive start to their pre-season tour, remaining unbeaten during their time in Spain. The camp has provided Ouaddou with an opportunity to evaluate both experienced players and promising academy graduates in competitive match situations. Several new recruits have also impressed during the opening fixtures, giving the coaching staff encouraging signs ahead of the upcoming domestic season. Pre-season matches are about more than simply achieving positive results, as they allow coaches to test tactical systems, improve player combinations and gradually increase match fitness. The clash against Al Ittihad represents another valuable opportunity to continue that process against a team with considerable international experience.
The match will take place at the Banus Football Centre, one of Spain’s popular pre-season venues that regularly hosts clubs from around the world during the European summer. Supporters who are unable to attend the match in person will still be able to follow the action through live broadcasts. The game will be streamed on the PiratesTV YouTube channel while television coverage will also be available on SuperSport Channel 209. This ensures that Orlando Pirates supporters both in South Africa and internationally can watch the team’s latest preparations ahead of the new campaign. Interest in the fixture is expected to be high given the quality of the opposition and the growing excitement surrounding the club’s pre-season progress.
Ouaddou is expected to continue rotating his squad throughout the match as he carefully manages player workloads. With another friendly against Spanish side Las Palmas scheduled just 24 hours later, preserving player fitness will be one of the coaching staff’s biggest priorities. Unlimited substitutions during pre-season allow coaches to give valuable game time to a larger number of players while reducing the risk of injuries. The Pirates mentor is likely to use the fixture to assess tactical flexibility and determine which combinations work best ahead of competitive action. Such an approach is common during pre-season as clubs focus on long-term preparation rather than individual match results.
The probable Orlando Pirates starting lineup includes Sipho Chaine in goal, supported by Chabatsane, Derbyshire and veteran defender Innocent Maela’s replacement Thabiso Hotto in defense. The midfield is expected to feature Makhaula, Masilela and Matome, while Sebelebele, Msendami, Moremi and Radiopane are likely to provide attacking options. The squad selected reflects the club’s commitment to blending experienced players with emerging talent from the development structures. Young players have already taken advantage of their opportunities during the Spanish camp and will hope to continue impressing against stronger opposition. Strong performances in pre-season can often influence selection decisions once the official season begins.
Al Ittihad enter the fixture following a disappointing 2025/26 campaign in the Saudi Pro League. After failing to defend their league title, the club finished fifth and experienced considerable instability by changing head coaches three times during the season. The Saudi giants have now appointed Jens Wissing, who has only recently taken charge and is still getting familiar with his squad. Like Ouaddou, Wissing is expected to rotate his players extensively as he evaluates his options before the new season begins. The match therefore provides both coaches with an ideal opportunity to assess their squads under competitive conditions.
Despite last season’s struggles, Al Ittihad remain one of the strongest clubs in Saudi Arabia in terms of financial resources and player quality. Their squad is estimated to be worth approximately €87.5 million, significantly higher than the market value available to Orlando Pirates. The expected lineup features experienced international players including Predrag Rajkovic, Steven Bergwijn, Houssem Aouar, Moussa Diaby and Youssef En-Nesyri, all of whom have competed at the highest levels of European football. Facing players of this caliber offers Pirates an excellent opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition before the season starts. Such matches provide valuable lessons that can benefit the team when domestic and continental competitions begin.
This fixture will also mark the first-ever meeting between Orlando Pirates and Al Ittihad, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the encounter. With no previous head-to-head record between the two clubs, both teams will be entering unfamiliar territory. Orlando Pirates come into the match in encouraging form, having recorded several positive results during pre-season while also building on the confidence gained from their historic domestic treble-winning campaign. However, the club is also adjusting to significant squad changes, including the departure of star player Relebohile Mofokeng to Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Managing that transition successfully will be one of Ouaddou’s key objectives throughout pre-season.
The match against Al Ittihad represents another important step in Orlando Pirates’ preparations for what promises to be another demanding season. Beyond the result, the fixture offers the coaching staff an opportunity to measure the squad’s tactical progress, evaluate new signings and continue building the physical condition required for competitive football. Facing a club with international quality and considerable financial strength provides an ideal benchmark as Pirates continue their Spanish training camp. Supporters will be eager to see how the new-look squad performs against one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest clubs before another challenging test against Las Palmas. As the countdown to the new season continues, every pre-season performance will help shape Orlando Pirates’ ambitions for success in domestic and continental competitions.
