Tinkler On Sundowns Shock CAF Elimination: ‘Modern Football Has Changed’

Eric Tinkler has suggested that player fatigue from competing in multiple competitions and the 2026 FIFA World Cup may have contributed to Mamelodi Sundowns’ premature exit from the CAF Champions League as defending champions.

The Durban City coach was speaking to the media after his side’s 2-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC in the Carling Knockout round of 16 on Wednesday evening, where goals from Sinoxolo Kwayiba put City to the sword.

Mamelodi Sundowns were eliminated from the 2026/27 CAF Champions League after drawing 1-1 with Angolan side Wiliete SC at Loftus Versfeld. The result left the aggregate score at 1-1, with Wiliete advancing to the group stage on the away goals rule.

The elimination marked the first time in 11 editions that Sundowns failed to reach the Champions League group stage.

“I think obviously for all of us it was a surprise that Sundowns didn’t qualify, for me especially, I expected them to qualify because of the quality and everything that they have. But it obviously begs a lot of other questions as to what were the reasons.

“And like I said, the modern game has changed, you know, the amount of competitions that currently exist and the amount of games that players are having to play, in my view, is a lot, it’s too many.”Somewhere along the line there’s going to be fatigue, as I mentioned, that’s going to creep in, and I think it’s crept into Sundowns because they’ve been so successful over the years. Then we had the World Cup and those players immediately had to come back and they had to now go back into the Champions League qualifiers, it’s not easy, it’s hard, very, very difficult, you know.”

Tinkler’s comments reference the demanding schedule faced by Sundowns players who represented South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba and Themba Zwane.

Several of these players featured prominently throughout the 2025/26 season, with Williams making 44 appearances for Sundowns, Modiba 42 and Mokoena 40 before the World Cup.

Turning his attention to Orlando Pirates’ continental prospects, Tinkler expressed confidence that the Buccaneers can compete in the Champions League group stage but stopped short of comparing them to Sundowns’ level.

“In my view of what I’ve seen, that Pirates can compete in the Champions League, I think, definitely with the qualities that they have, but are they on the same level as Sundowns? I don’t know,” he added.

Nov 02, 2026 08:39 PM
in Siyagobhoza

Nov 04, 2026 12:53 PM
in Kaizer-Chiefs

Nov 03, 2026 06:16 PM
in Soweto-Derby

Nov 03, 2026 11:51 AM
in Siyagobhoza

Nov 01, 2026 06:02 PM
in Motsepe-Foundation-Championship

Oct 17, 2026 09:50 AM
in Bafana

Oct 16, 2026 05:20 PM
in African Football

Oct 16, 2026 09:54 AM
in TS-Galaxy

Oct 15, 2026 12:23 PM
in African Football

Oct 16, 2026 11:01 AM
in Mamelodi-Sundowns

Adverts keep Soccer Laduma free to read. Your ad blocker stops them. Please allow adverts on soccerladuma.co.za. You can still read without allowing them.