Kaizer Chiefs have explained why head coach Nasreddine Nabi will not be travelling with the team to Cape Town for the league match against Stellenbosch FC.
Amakhosi will open their 2025/26 Betway Premiership season against Stellenbosch FC at a sold-out Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.
According to Amakhosi, coach Nabi will return to Tunisia today following a “critical accident” involving his wife. As a result, he will not be on the sidelines for Chiefs’ first game of the new season.
Nabi is the coach who, in his first season, led the team to victory in the 2025 Nedbank Cup, ending their decade-long trophy drought.
In a statement on Friday, Chiefs said: “We regret to inform our supporters that Coach Nasreddine Nabi will not be travelling with the team to Cape Town for our opening game of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season against Stellenbosch FC this Sunday.”
WHY THE AMAKHOSI COACH WILL NOT TRAVEL WITH THE TEAM TO THE WESTERN CAPE
“A critical accident involving his wife has occurred at his home in Tunisia, prompting the coach to travel this evening to be with her and the family,” the club added.
“Coach Nabi will return to South Africa once the situation has stabilised. The coach has had discussions with the technical team to prepare for the game.”
KAIZER CHIEFS ANNOUNCES WHO WILL TAKE OVER IN THE ABSENCE OF NASREDDINE NABI
“In coach Nabi’s absence, first assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef and second assistant coach Cedric Kaze will be on the bench for the upcoming game.
“Kaizer Chiefs would like to extend its best wishes to Coach Nabi and his family during this challenging time. We ask all supporters to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”
Meanwhile, Chiefs will also be without Pule Mmodi for the Stellenbosch game. He is suspended after receiving a red card in the penultimate game of last season against Sekhukhune United.
The 32-year-old served the first of his two-game suspension during the last match of the season against Polokwane City FC.
It remains to be seen which of the new signings will make their official debut this weekend. Chiefs have signed the likes of Ethan Chislett, Nkanyiso Shinga, Flavio Silva, Thabiso Monyane, Paseka Mako and Siphesihle Ndlovu.
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