Durban City’s automatic promotion to the Betway Premiership from the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) is now confirmed.

City’s promotion was in doubt after fellow MFC teams JDR Stars and Cape Town Spurs lodged protests against Durban City.

The bone of contention related to Durban City allegedly fielding an ineligible player, Saziso Magawana.

Initially, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Disciplinary Committee dismissed the cases, stating that Durban City’s registration of Magawana was aboveboard and therefore, they did not flout the league rules.

JDR and Spurs then took up the matter on appeal and a South African Football Association (SAFA) Arbitrator, Hilton Epstein, was appointed. The arbitrator arrived at the same conclusion as the PSL DC and Durban City are in the clear.

As per the ruling, JDR and Spurs are “to pay all costs arising from (their) protest against Durban City and the player, on scale C of the High Court tariff, including all the costs of the arbitration and arbitrator”.

The arbitrator’s decision is final and binding.

The decision also paves way for the PSL Promotion PlayOffs to get underway.

Cape Town City, Orbit College and Casric Stars will battle it out on a home and away basis. The winner of the mini league will play in the top-flight next season.