TAB soccer customers will want for nothing this weekend. It's the start of the 2025-26 season in the English Premier League (EPL) and Spain's LaLiga, so pools are loaded with top matches. And there's a chance to become an instant millionaire in Saturday's Soccer 13, which has a guaranteed R24-million pool for all-13-correct entries. And before that don't miss the chance to score big in tonight's R200,000-added Soccer 10!
Reigning EPL champions Liverpool get the 2025-26 show under way at Anfield at 21:00 tonight, when they take on Bournemouth. Liverpool are 3-10 favourites to win and those odds look a fair reflection of the likely outcome.
Liverpool have spent big during the break and first impressions are that they have bought well. Four of their new acquisitions were on show in the Community Shield clash last Sunday - full-backs Frimpong and Kerkez, as well as attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and striker Hugo Ekitike, and all impressed in their first taste of the top flight in England.
The only element that didn't work was Frimpong's darting forays down the right, often into spaces usually ruled by Mo Salah. That effectively resulted in the Egyptian star playing no significant role in the match, barring his wild miss in the penalty shootout. That's something Liverpool cannot afford, given how many goals Salah contributed last season cutting in from the right, and manager Arne Slot is going to have to work out how to best deploy the two. If he gets it right, Liverpool may be nigh unstoppable down the right.
UK bookies have Liverpool at 19-10 to retain their EPL crown with Arsenal at 27-10 followed by Manchester City (7-2), Chelsea (9-1), Manchester United (25-1), Spurs (50-1) and Newcastle (70-1).
Arsenal have made some cracker signings and finally have a centre-forward in Viktor Gyokeres. They should prove Liverpool's chief obstacle, especially if manager Mikel Arteta cuts out his theatrics on the side of the pitch.
Pep Guardiola will want much more from his Manchester City team this season, but the over 300-million Pounds splashed out on 10 new players so far this year is not going to patch the holes in their defence, especially with Rodri injured again. That said City may still secure a top defender or two (and PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma) before the transfer window closes.
Chelsea look the only other team with the firepower to challenge Liverpool, but winning the Club World Cup instead of having a break through the European summer may take its toll.
With a R200,000 add-in from TAB certain to ensure an inflated payout, tonight's Soccer 10 is a must-play. But it's challenging because this early in a new season the theory often goes up in smoke on the pitch, as teams battle to integrate new signings and find a rhythm. Liverpool look the standout banker in the pool followed by home wins for Villarreal and Girona and away victories for Marseilles and Belgrano.
The big fish most TAB football customers will aim to catch is Saturday's Soccer 13, which comprises a challenging mixture of EPL and English Championship games with a Swedish Allsvenskan clash chucked in as M13.
The best bankers in the pool have to be Manchester City for an away win against Wolves, one of the teams set to battle this season, and a home success for Spurs over newly-promoted Burnley. In fact, the future for City and Spurs will look pretty bleak if they don't win.
The Championship games in the pool are generally tough to predict after many of the opening round of fixtures last weekend didn't go according to the script. Bristol City, however, were impressive in beating Sheffield United 4-1 and went on to beat MK Dons in the League Cup midweek. They are at home to Charlton and should win.
The highlights of local soccer over the weekend will be tomorrow's MTN8 semi-final first-leg clashes, both of which are included in a R50,000-added Soccer 6. In the first of them, Pirates resume their pursuit of a fourth consecutive MTN8 title when they take on Sundowns at Orlando Stadium.
The Buccaneers have got off to a poor start in their Betway Premiership campaign, stumbling to defeat against Sekhukhune United last weekend and then Marumo Gallants midweek.
New coach Abdeslam Ouaddou replaced Jose Riveiro, who won five trophies in his three seasons in charge, and right now it's safe to say that Pirates' fans will be calling for him to be shown the door if results don't improve.
Ouaddou does need to be given time to build a competitive side, especially taking into account that Pirates have signed a host of new players, and beating Sundowns is exactly the confidence boost the team needs to get their campaign going.
What's in their favour is that Sundowns do not have a good record in the MTN8. The eight-time reigning Premiership champions have won the competition only twice this century - in 2007 and 2021.
That aside Sundowns, as always, have a squad that is the envy of the rest of the country and if they play to their best Pirates are going to have to step on their last two displays to have any sort of chance.
The other semi pits Stellenbosch against Sekhukhune in a match that could go either way.
| M1 | Girona vs Rayo Vallecano | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| This pool gets a bumper R200,000 bonus boost from TAB. It’s going to be a big pool so be sure to play. First-round clash in Spain’s LaLiga to start the bet and Girona have lost five of their last 10 matches, while Rayo are unbeaten in eight of their last nine. Rayo won the last meeting between them 2-1 in January, but in the last 15 meetings Girona have six wins to Rayo’s five. | |||
| M2 | Clermont Foot vs Troyes | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| French Ligue 2. Clermont have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10 games and Troyes have won five of their last nine. Troyes won the last meeting 2-0 in April, but in the last 15 meetings Clermont have won 10 times with one draw. | |||
| M3 | FC Fredericia vs SonderjyskE | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Danish Superliga. Fredericia have won five of their last 10 games, while SonderjyskE have won four of their last eight. The teams last met in May last year with SonderjyskE winning 2-1. In the last 15 meetings SonderjyskE have won nine times to Fredericia’s four. Both teams are level on four points after four games played in the new season. | |||
| M4 | Telstar vs PEC Zwolle | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Telstar have won six of their last nine games in all competitions, while Zwolle have won six of their last 10. Zwolle won the last meeting between them 2-0 two years ago and have won 13 of the last 15 clashes over 19 years. | |||
| M5 | Aldosivi vs CA Belgrano | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Argentinian premier division. Belgrano have better recent form, having avoided defeat in nine of their last 10 games, while Aldosivi are winless in their last six. Belgrano won the last meeting between them 2-0 in February and are third on the log with Aldosivi last. | |||
| M6 | Arminia Bielefeld vs Werder Bremen | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Cup clash in Germany. Bielefeld have won both games in 2. Bundesliga in the new season, while Bremen have lost four friendlies in a row. Bielefeld defeated Bremen 2-1 in a cup encounter earlier this year. | |||
| M7 | OH Leuven vs Genk | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Both have made a poor start to the new premier league in season in Belgium and have one point apiece after three games. Genk won the last meeting between them 2-0 in January. | |||
| M8 | Rennes vs Marseille | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Opening round of the 2025-26 season in France’s Ligue 1. Marseilles were runners-up last season and finished 24 points clear of Rennes. Marseille have eight wins in the last 15 encounters between the sides. | |||
| M9 | Liverpool vs Bournemouth | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Opening match of the new season in the English Premier League (EPL). Reigning champions Liverpool lost on penalties to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield last Sunday. Bournemouth lost to West Ham and Manchester United in the four-club Summer Series in the off season. Liverpool have won 12 of the last 15 clashes with Bournemouth. | |||
| M10 | Villarreal vs Real Oviedo | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Villarreal finished last season with six LaLiga wins in a row and have played several friendlies to prepare for the new season. So have Real Oviedo, who won promotion to Spain’s top flight last season. | |||
Suggested R108 perm: 1 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 2,3 x 3 x 1,2,3 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 1 x 1.
| M1 | Orlando Pirates vs Mamelodi Sundowns | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| First of the MTN8 semi-final first legs. Cup kings Pirates have lost both PSL matches in the new season, but did win a MTN8 quarter-final before that. Reigning champs Sundowns were held to a draw by Chippa in their first league game, but then beat Amazulu midweek. The teams last met in a PSL fixture in March when Pirates won 2-1 at home. | |||
| M2 | Brighton vs Fulham | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Brighton are unbeaten in their last 10 games, of which five were friendlies, while Fulham have won three friendlies in a row. Brighton won the last clash between them 2-1 in March, but in the last nine years Fulham have won seven times to Brighton’s four with four draws. | |||
| M3 | Sunderland vs West Ham United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Newly-promoted Sunderland played nine friendlies in the off season, losing five, while West Ham won two of three games in a Summer Series tournament with Bournemouth, Everton and Manchester United. Big jump in class for the hosts. | |||
| M4 | St. Mirren vs Hearts | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Scottish League Cup clash. St. Mirren have won six of their last nine games, while Hearts are on a 10-game winning sequence. Hearts won the last meeting between them 3-1 in February and in the last 15 meetings over four years they have won eight times to St. Mirren’s three. | |||
| M5 | Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Spurs started the new season with a quality display against PSG in the Super Cup midweek, losing a penalty shootout after leading 2-0 late in the game. Newly-promoted Burnley went straight back down when they were last promoted and will be hoping for better this time. | |||
| M6 | Deportivo Alaves vs Levante | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| 2025-26 Spanish LaLiga first round. Alaves narrowly avoided relegation last term and kick off the new season against last season’s Segunda Division winners Levante. Both should be well prepared after several friendlies. | |||
| M7 | Lens vs Lyon | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| French Ligue 1. Lens have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine games, whereas Lyon have won four of their last six. Lens won the last meeting between them 2-1 away earlier this year, but in the last 15 meetings both have won on six times. | |||
| M8 | Stellenbosch vs Sekhukhune United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| The other MTN8 semi. Stellenbosch have just one point from their first two league matches in the 2025-26 season, whereas Sekhukhune have made a flying start with three wins in as many games. Stellenbosch won the last meeting between them 2-1 in March. | |||
| M9 | Wolverhampton vs Manchester City | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Wolves are winless in their last nine games in all competitions, while City have won six of their last seven. City won the last meeting between the teams 1-0 in May, their 10th win in the last 15 clashes. | |||
| M10 | Real Mallorca vs Barcelona | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Mallorca have won three of their last five games, while reigning LaLiga champs Barcelona are on a four-game winning streak. Barcelona won the last meeting with Mallorca 1-0 in April and have won 14 of the last 15 clashes between them. | |||
Suggested R72 perm: 1,2,3 x 1 x 3 x 2,3 x 1 x 1 x 1,2 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 3.