Loftus Stadium to provide fitting venue for first leg of TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26 final

Loftus Stadium in Pretoria will play host to the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26 final as home side Mamelodi Sundowns welcome AS FAR from Morocco on Sunday (kick-off 14h00 GMT).

The venue was one of those used during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, though one Bafana Bafana fans may want to forget, as they lost 3-0 to Uruguay there, which precipitated their first-round exit.

These days it is the home of Sundowns, who have had many magical nights there in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, turning it into a fortress.

It was not, however, the venue for the first leg of the 2016 final when they beat Zamalek 3-0 to set up their title triumph.

That match was played 17 kilometres away at the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium, but Sundowns have played most of their home games at Loftus Stadium since the 2019/20 campaign, using the former as an alternative venue.

Sundowns have played all their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League matches at Loftus Stadium this season.

The venue can hold a little over 51,000 fans and will be sold out for Sunday’s first-leg final.

The stadium was named after Robert Loftus Owen Versfeld, considered the founder of organised sports in Pretoria. It is situated in the Pretoria suburb of Arcadia, home to former top-flight side Arcadia Shepherds, which produced the likes of former Bafana Bafana stars Bongani Khumalo and Katlego Mphela.

Opened in 1923, Loftus Stadium has undergone various refurbishments over the years, including ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

It hosted three matches at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009 and six at the World Cup, and has staged several domestic football cup finals over the years.

It is also a key home stadium for the Springbok rugby team and the Blue Bulls rugby franchise.

But there have also been cricket and boxing events held at the venue over the years.

The stadium is located 1,350m (4,500 feet) above sea level, though the altitude is less of a factor for ultra-fit modern footballers than it perhaps was in the past.

TOTALENERGIES CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2025/26 FINAL, FIRST LEG
Mamelodi Sundowns vs AS FAR
Date: Sunday, 17 May 2026
Kick-off time: 16h00 local time | 14h00 GMT
Venue: Loftus Stadium, Pretoria