Two new Motsepe Foundation Championship clubs confirmed

Upington City of the Northern Cape and Orbit College from North West are the two new clubs in the Motsepe Foundation Championship for the 2023/24 season following their triumph in the ABC Motsepe League national playoffs on Friday.

The two new PSL clubs finished as the top two finalists and also secured a place in the finals set for Sunday at Harry Gwala Stadium.

UPINGTON CITY AND ORBIT COLLEGE TRIUMPH

Upington defeated Limpopo’s Mpheni Home Defenders 3-2 on penalties in the first semifinal of the day. The game ended 1-1 in regulation time. 

Both Upington and Mpheni had been Champions of their respective provinces for the past two seasons. But ironically both clubs lost in boardroom politics and were unable to go to the national playoffs.

ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE NATIONAL PLAYOFFS MANDATE 

Upington City coach Thulani Nkosi has said promoting the club was his main mandate from the club leaders.

“When we started last season when this team was built from scratch, our chairman and the technical director gave me a simple mandate,” he told the media.

“They said look, we are doing this project. All we want is for you to promote this team for the people of Upington.”

Meanwhile, the Orbit got the better of hosts Umsinga United with a 1-0 victory in the second semifinal.

The two finalists will head-to-head in the final on Sunday, 11 June at Harry Gwala Stadium.  The kick-off is scheduled for 15:00. 

HUGE PRIZE FOR MOTSEPE FOUNDATION CHAMPIONSHIP 

The winner of the national playoffs will walk away with the prize money of R1 200 000 and the title of ABC Motsepe National Champions for the year 2023. 

The promotion of both Orbit and Upington also means the North West and Northern Cape will have two clubs in the first division. North West already have Platinum City Rovers while Northern Cape have Hungry Lions.

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