Finally, the wait appears to be over, and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) fixtures are being finalised.
In its possession, African Times has the draft fixtures for the 2025/26 season. While it is public knowledge that the season will open with the MTN8 quarter-finals on Saturday, 2 August, the fixtures show some other important key dates.
The Betway Premiership is slated to kick off on Saturday, 9 August, with the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns away at Chippa United at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London.
On the same day, last season’s runners-up, Orlando Pirates, will battle Sekhukhune United at the Orlando Stadium, Soweto.
In Polokwane, the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium will host the Limpopo Derby between Polokwane City and Magesi FC, while Siwelele FC, which was previously SuperSport United, is scheduled to host Golden Arrows at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville.
Siwelele FC was bought by Calvyn Le’John, who is the son of South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture, Gayton McKenzie, and the club was rumoured to have plans to relocate to Bloemfontein, but they’ll stay put in Pretoria this season and play their games in Atteridgeville.
The next day, Sunday, 10 August, sees Kaizer Chiefs opening their season with an away clash against Stellenbosch at the Athlone Stadium, Cape Town.
The league will be on a break from the first week of December to accommodate the senior men’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The final day for the Betway Premiership will be 23 May 2026, with all teams in action across the country from 15H00.
One of the biggest fixtures on the PSL calendar, the Soweto Derby, only takes place next year, with Kaizer Chiefs welcoming nemesis Orlando Pirates to the FNB Stadium on 28 February 2026, and Pirates then hosting Chiefs at the same venue in the reverse fixture on 25 April 2026.
In terms of the PSL Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs, the kick off date will 26 May 2026, just a few days after the end of the regular season.
Moving on to cup competitions, the MTN8 final will be played on Saturday, 13 September, and the Carling Knockout decider is scheduled for 6 December, also a Saturday.
The Nedbank Cup final will take place on 2 May 2026.
Other important takeouts from the fixtures are that Richards Bay supporters will welcome news that their team will play their home games in their own backyard, at the uMhlathuze Complex.
The Natal Rich Boyz have been playing at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, which is almost 200 km from Richards Bay.
The Umhlathuze Complex had been barred from hosting games as it was deemed unsuitable, but extensive renovations appear to have led to a decision for football to return to the area.
