The countdown to the highly anticipated Nedbank Cup final between Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates has been marred by ticketing chaos, as thousands of football fans encountered serious issues when trying to secure seats. The match, set to take place this Saturday at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, triggered a rush on tickets when sales opened at 10am on Monday — only for the system to crash under the weight of fan demand.
What was expected to be a swift and efficient ticketing process turned into a frustrating experience for supporters, many of whom paid for tickets but never received confirmations, reference numbers, or the tickets themselves. As the two biggest clubs in South African football prepare to meet in what is often dubbed the “Soweto Derby,” demand was always expected to be high — but the system failure has left many wondering whether the infrastructure was fit for purpose.
Ticket Sales Go Live, System Buckles
Fans began experiencing issues mere minutes after tickets went live. Retail stores such as Shoprite and Checkers, which typically serve as physical ticket outlets, saw long queues forming early in the day. However, many supporters were turned away after being informed that ticket sales had been moved entirely online — a decision that only added to the digital strain on Computicket’s systems.
Online, users reported a range of problems: transactions timing out, websites freezing, confirmation emails not arriving, and in some cases, money being deducted from accounts without any follow-up or ticket delivery.
“I was online the minute tickets opened. My payment went through, but I’m still waiting for my confirmation and ticket hours later,” one frustrated fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Others posted screenshots showing successful payments with no ticket or reference numbers, adding to the growing outrage.
Computicket Issues a Statement
In response to the mounting criticism, Computicket released a statement on its X account acknowledging the issues.
“Due to an overwhelming volume of traffic for this event, we experienced some temporary delays caused by pushback issues from our host system,” the company said. “These have since been resolved.”
Despite this assurance, many fans said they continued to experience problems well into the afternoon. Some called on the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to intervene or at least issue a public statement on how they planned to ensure fairness in ticket distribution.
Bulk Buying Restrictions Not Enough
To address concerns around ticket hoarding and resale, the PSL had earlier announced that no more than four tickets would be sold per person. While this move was intended to curb bulk buying and secondary market price gouging, it did little to alleviate the technical problems — and may have actually resulted in more individual transactions, increasing pressure on the system.
“There’s no point in limiting tickets if the system itself can’t handle the volume. People are still being left out,” said another supporter on Facebook.
Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability
The backlash against Computicket has been swift and fierce. Fans have called for accountability and better preparation for high-demand events. Many argue that ticketing services should anticipate surges in traffic and reinforce their systems accordingly — especially for marquee fixtures like this derby.
Some users even called for a change in ticketing service providers, demanding a more transparent and efficient alternative to handle future events.
Tickets Still in High Demand
Despite the chaos, interest in the game remains sky-high. With just days to go before kickoff, tickets are still expected to sell out quickly once the issues are fully resolved. However, for many fans, the excitement surrounding the final has been overshadowed by frustration, uncertainty, and disappointment. As the football world prepares for one of South Africa’s biggest matches of the year, fans are left hoping that their loyalty and passion will ultimately be rewarded — with a seat in the stadium and a smoother experience next time.
Nedbank Cup Final
As the excitement builds for what promises to be an electrifying Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, the build-up has already sparked emotional highs and lows — not on the pitch, but in the ticketing queues. While the system issues may soon be behind Computicket, the frustration and disappointment felt by thousands of loyal fans will linger. For many, the joy of witnessing South Africa’s biggest football showdown in person has been tainted by technical failures and poor customer experience.
Going forward, both ticketing platforms and event organizers will need to ensure more robust systems and contingency plans are in place for major fixtures. The passion of South African football fans deserves better — and come Saturday, all eyes will be on not just the players, but whether fans who fought for their seats will finally be in them.
Related article: Why the Nedbank Cup Final Won’t Be at FNB Stadium This Year
