KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli, together with the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Honourable Mntomuhle Khawula, officially launched the eagerly awaited KZN Premier’s Cup in Durban.

The launch took place at the Elangeni Hotel, where the official draw was conducted, setting the stage for an exciting pre-season football tournament featuring some of the province’s top professional clubs.

The KZN Premier’s Cup is a Provincial Government initiative aimed at supporting football development, strengthening partnerships with professional clubs, and encouraging supporters to return to stadiums ahead of the new football season.

The tournament brings together KwaZulu-Natal’s Betway Premiership clubs, namely Durban City FC, Richards Bay FC, Lamontville Golden Arrows, AmaZulu FC and Milford FC, alongside Motsepe Championship side Midlands Wanderers.

Premier Ntuli said the tournament provides an important platform for clubs to sharpen their squads, test combinations and build momentum ahead of the new campaign.

“We have the most PSL teams in the country - five. As government we must coax people back to the stadia,” said Premier Ntuli.

The Premier said the KZN Premier’s Cup is not only about pre-season preparation, but also about provincial pride, talent development and creating opportunities for communities to rally behind local football.

MEC Khawula praised the partnership between the KwaZulu-Natal Government, professional football clubs and KZN-SAFA, saying collaboration remains central to growing the game in the province.

“This is how we grow the game in the province,” said MEC Khawula.

The action will take place over two days, with Day 1 scheduled for Saturday, 25 July 2026 at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, while Day 2 will be held on Sunday, 26 July 2026 at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont.

The opening day will feature Lamontville Golden Arrows against Milford FC at 10h00, followed by Durban City FC against Richards Bay FC at 13h00. AmaZulu FC will then face Midlands Wanderers in the first semi-final at 16h00.

On Sunday, 26 July 2026, the winner of Playoff 1 will face the winner of Playoff 2 in the second semi-final at 10h00. The final will take place at 14h00, where the winners of the two semi-finals will compete for the KZN Premier’s Cup title.

The Provincial Government-backed tournament is expected to serve up exciting football action while contributing to the broader objective of promoting sport, unity and social cohesion across KwaZulu-Natal.