Championship side Queens Park Rangers have expressed delight at signing one of South Africa’s rising stars.

Tylon Smith has completed a permanent move to QPR from Stellenbosch FC for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old defender arrives in west London after an incredible rise over the past 12 months.

Smith only signed his first professional contract in October 2024, which came after he helped South Africa U20s lift the COSAFA U20 Challenge Cup earlier that month.

He was named Man of the Match following their 2-0 win in the final against Zambia and was also included in the Team of the Tournament.

Building on that success, in May this year Smith again helped the SA U20s as they won the U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

His impressive impact on the competition saw him named Player of the Tournament.

This month, Smith was also nominated for the DStv Diski Challenge Player of the Season, which is the reserve league in South Africa.

QPR CEO Christian Nourry said, “We are happy to beat significant competition to land the services of Tylon today.

“His raw attributes give him every opportunity to become a successful central defender, and we are excited that the player feels, as we do, that we are best placed to develop and extract that potential from him.”

Smith, in response, is confident he’d do well to reach his full potential.

“I’m very happy to be here,” said Smith, who will initially integrate into the Development Squad.

“I’m really proud and grateful for the opportunity QPR has given me to showcase my talent. QPR is well-known for developing young players. The style of play here is similar to how we play in South Africa, and it’s a style that I really like.”

Looking to the future, Smith said, “My main focus now is QPR. I’m going to give my all for this club, and hopefully together we can be successful.”

For Stellenbosch, Smith’s transfer to the United Kingdom represents a landmark moment for the club and its development structures, as he becomes the first player to progress through the club’s U-14, U-16, U-18, and reserve teams before securing a move abroad.

“This is a very proud moment for everyone at the club, the town, and his family,” Stellenbosch FC CEO Rob Benadie said.

“We’ve watched Tylon grow from a young boy in Jamestown into a player ready to take on the world stage. We have every confidence that he’ll thrive at QPR.”