Confirmation Beer Cup is off
There will be one less Soweto derby this year, after it was confirmed yesterday that the 2018 Carling Black Label Cup between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates has been postponed.
This is to make room for Budweiser, who are also owned by AB Inbev, and who are one of the official sponsors of the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia.
“The Carling Black Label Champion Cup will be postponed in 2018, to allow our new stablemate in the AB InBev portfolio, Budweiser, the King of Beers, to activate their global sponsorship of the Fifa World Cup, over the June and July period,” read a statement from the oganisers.
“AB InBev intends to leverage the company’s global sponsorship of the Fifa 2018 World Cup to bring fans a unique and engaging experience of the global showpiece. Activities are planned in South Africa throughout the duration of the tournament, over June and July, the period which traditionally hosts the Carling Black Label Champion Cup.”
The Carling Black Label Cup was launched in 2011, and has run every year since at FNB Stadium, with Pirates winning it four times, and Kaizer Chiefs three times.
It remains to be seen what plans Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will make ahead of the new season, though Amakhosi are already playing Sundowns in the Shell Helix Ultra Cup on July 21 at FNB Stadium.
“We are still making arrangements and will make an announcement soon,” said Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung yesterday.