TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 20 - 22 FEBRUARY 2026

BIG MONEY TO BE WON AGAIN THIS WEEKEND

There’s big money on the table again for TAB soccer customers this weekend with cash add-ins to four pools totalling over R600,000 and a R6.4-million carryover to Sunday’s Soccer 13, which is expected to result in a pool of R11 million for all-13-correct bets. Plus there’s a guaranteed R23-million jackpot if there only one outright winner of Saturday’s Soccer 13.

BATTLES FOR LEAGUE TITLES IN SA AND ENGLAND INTENSIFY

And TAB’s range of soccer bets is loaded with challenging and entertaining matches through the weekend, including round-of-16 clashes in the Nedbank Cup and key matches in the English Premier League and Championship.

The battles for the league titles in South Africa and England both intensified midweek.

At home log-leaders Orlando Pirates had a chance on Wednesday night to take a decisive lead over long-time league champions Sundowns in the Betway Premiership title race. Unfortunately for their fans, they went down 2-1 in a keenly-contested game and are now just three points ahead of Sundowns, who have a game in hand.

EPL log-leaders Arsenal dropped two more points against bottom-of-the-table Wolves when they conceded a late equaliser and will find themselves only two points ahead of Manchester City, if Pep Guardiola’s men win the game they have in hand against Newcastle tomorrow.

Newcastle were impressive in handing out a 6-1 drubbing to Qarabag in a Champions League clash midweek, but the long return journey to Azerbaijan is hardly in their favour tomorrow.

Sadly for Arsenal all the signs are there that nerves are taking their toll again as they bid to win the league for the first time in 22 years. They have now won just two of their last seven EPL games and the situation could get a whole lot worse on Sunday, when they take on Spurs away in a North London derby.

SPURS MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN RELEGATION BATTLE

Spurs would love nothing better than to put a dent in their bitter rivals’ title bid, although at the moment they look in no position to put a dent in anything. They are having another dreadful season in the EPL and are 16th in the table, needing to drop only a few more points to find themselves in the frontline of the relegation battle.

Spurs also have a long injury list that has not assisted their cause this season. Mohamed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie and Kevin Danso are among those definitely out for Sunday’s game, as well as club captain Christian Romero, who is suspended following a red card against Manchester United.

And to make their situation more precarious, they have appointed Croatian Igor Tudor as interim head coach in the wake of sacking Thomas Frank. Tudor has zero experience of English soccer, let alone fighting a relegation battle in the toughest league in the world.

Bottom line is Arsenal have not lost to Spurs in nearly four years and jittery or not, they should outgun their neighbours on Sunday.

BANKER BETS FOR THE WEEKEND

AC Milan and Celta Vigo to win at home look other bankers for Sunday’s carryover Soccer 13.

Banker bets for the R200,000-added Soccer 10 pools are home wins for Athletic Club and Mainz tonight with both Chelsea and Real Betis to win at home on Saturday.

MATCH PREVIEWS FOR TONIGHT’S R200,000-ADDED SOCCER 10

Fri 20 Feb – S10 V1

M1 Richards Bay vs AmaZulu: Must-play Friday night bet. With R200,000 added by TAB, the pool should total R2 million and could pay a bomb! The first Nedbank Cup last-16 clash of the weekend gets the bet going and it should be a thriller. Richards Bay have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10 games in all competitions and AmaZulu have won seven of their last 10. Richards Bay won the last meeting between them 2-0 at home, their third win in the last seven clashes with two victories for AmaZulu. They are separated by only a point in the Betway Premiership table.

M2 Fortuna Sittard vs SBV Excelsior: Sittard have lost six of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Excelsior have failed to win in seven of their last nine league fixtures. Sittard and Excelsior are 11^th and 12^th respectively with 26 points apiece in the Dutch Eredivisie. Excelsior won the last meeting between them 1-0 last October but are away now.

M3 Rodez AF vs Montpellier: Rodez are unbeaten in their last eight Ligue 2 games, while Montpellier have won five of their last nine in all competitions. Montpellier have won seven of the last 10 fixtures between them and are seventh, one point ahead of 11th-placed Rodez in the table.

M4 Mainz 05 vs Hamburger SV: Mainz have won four of their last six Bundesliga matches, while Hamburger are unbeaten in their last five. Hamburger won the last meeting 4-0 in October and are ninth with 25 points, four ahead of 14th-placed Mainz who have played a game more.

M5 Stade Brest vs Marseille: Brest are unbeaten in their last three Ligue 1 matches, while Marseille have avoided defeat in seven of their last 10 in all competitions. Marseille won the last meeting between them 3-0 in November and are fourth in Ligue 1 with a 13-point lead over 12th-placed Brest, but recently axed their manager.

M6 Derry City vs Bohemians: Both have four points after the first two games of the new Irish Premier Division season. In the last 15 meetings over four years, Derry have won eight times with four draws.

M7 Sassuolo vs Hellas Verona: Sassuolo have won three of their last four Serie A matches, while Verona are winless in their last 10. Sassuolo won the last meeting 1-0 away and are 10th with 32 points, 17 ahead of 20th-placed Verona.

M8 Athletic Bilbao vs Elche: Bilbao have won three of their last four games in all competitions, while Elche have not won in eight of their last nine. The last meeting between them ended 0-0 last October and Bilbao are ninth in LaLiga, six points ahead of 16th-placed Elche.

M9 Blackburn Rovers vs Preston North End: Blackburn have lost six of their last 10 games, while Preston are unbeaten in their last three. The teams last met in November with Blackburn winning 2-1 away, but Preston are seventh in the Championship and 13 points ahead of 19th-placed Blackburn.

M10 Shamrock Rovers vs St Patrick's Athletic: St Pats drew their opening game while Rovers play their first match of the new season in the Irish Premier Division. In the last 15 meetings over four years Rovers have won eight times with three draws.

MATCH PREVIEWS FOR SATURDAY’S R75,000-ADDED SOCCER 6

Sat 21 Feb – S6 V3 P1

M1 West Ham United vs Bournemouth: Here’s a Soccer 6 to spice up your afternoon and what makes it really appealing is a R75,000 add-in from TAB, which should bring a pool of over R400,000. West Ham have won five of their last seven games in all competitions and Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last five English Premier League fixtures. The last meeting between them ended 2-2 and Bournemouth are ninth with 37 points, 13 more than relegation threatened West Ham.

M2 RB Leipzig vs Borussia Dortmund: Leipzig have lost five of their last 10 games, while Dortmund are on a three-game winning streak. The teams drew 1-1 in their last clash. Dortmund are second in Bundesliga with 51 points, 11 more than fifth-placed Leipzig.

M3 Grasshopper Zurich vs FC Zurich: Derby. Grasshoppers are winless in their last three games, while Zurich have lost seven of their last nine. Zurich are ninth in the Swiss Super League, seven points ahead of 11th-placed Grasshoppers, and won the last clash between them 1-0 last November.

M4 Cagliari vs Lazio: Cagliari have lost their last two in Serie A, while Lazio are winless in their last three in all competitions. Lazio have won 13 wins of the last 15 fixtures between the sides and are ninth on the log with 33 points, five ahead of 13th-placed Cagliari.

M5 Manchester City vs Newcastle United: EPL clash. City are unbeaten in their last seven games and won their last game against Newcastle 3-1 in the League Cup recently. Newcastle are on a three-game winning streak, but travelled to Azerbaijan midweek. City are 17 points ahead of 10th-placed Newcastle on the log and will be just two points behind log-leaders Arsenal if they win here.

M6 Los Angeles FC vs Inter Miami: Reigning MLS champs Miami play their first league game of the new season in the USA against Los Angeles, who beat Real Espana 6-1 in a Concacaf Champions Cup clash recently. Miami won the last clash between them 3-1, but lost 1-0 previously.