Both sides will be without any internationals involved in the 2026 World Cup, so they will likely field ‘second-string’ versions of their squads. However, it is a rare visit by a team from one of Europe’s top five leagues to South African shores, something that was fairly commonplace until around 2010.
The Bundesliga side will spend four days in South Africa with a single match scheduled, no doubt taking in the sights and sounds of Gauteng as they wind down from a long campaign.
So who are they and what should South African fans look out for?
For starters, they are a relatively new club. Austrian energy drinks giant Red Bull purchased the status of fifth-tier SSV Markranstädt in 2009 with the aim of getting the team into the Bundesliga within eight years. In the end, it took seven.
They finished runners-up in their first topflight campaign and qualified for the UEFA Champions League, and have not finished lower than seventh since.
They are currently fifth in the table in the 2025–26 season, but only two points off third place.
The club have yet to win the Bundesliga title but have finished second twice and lifted the DFB-Pokal in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023.
They are currently coached by German Ole Werner and have prolific Austrian midfielder Christoph Baumgartner and teenage Ivorian international Yan Diomande among the players to watch.
Many top players have passed through the club in recent years, including Sadio Mané, Naby Keïta and Dominik Szoboszlai, Joško Gvardiol, Xavi Simons, Benjamin Šeško, Matheus Cunha and Dani Olmo.
RB Leipzig are part of Red Bull’s global football network, which also includes Red Bull Salzburg (Austria), New York Red Bulls (USA), Red Bull Brasil, Red Bull Bragantino (both Brazil), FC Goa (India) and Omiya Ardija (Japan).
Former Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp, who has visited South Africa several times, is Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer and will have signed off on the tour.
“South Africa is a particularly exciting football market and a culturally impressive destination for RB Leipzig and the Bundesliga. The passion with which football is lived here fits perfectly with our goal of inspiring people around the world with our intensive and attacking style of play,” said RB Leipzig General Manager Johann Plenge.
“After successful tours in the United States and Brazil, we are now very much looking forward to once again taking on responsibility for the league, travelling to South Africa for the first time and meeting Mamelodi Sundowns – a club that has shaped African football for years and enjoys significant international recognition,” he added.