While the eyes of the nation will be fixed on Marrakech this upcoming Monday for Bafana Bafana’s AFCON opener against Angola, Kaizer Chiefs will be engaged in a different kind of high-stakes mission 300 kilometres away in Rabat.
In a move that signals a seismic shift in how Chiefs intends to do business, head of scouting and recruitment Tera Maliwa has confirmed that the Soweto giants will make their debut at the TransferRoom [TR] Live Summit.
The timing is as intriguing as the venue. As the continent gathers for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, Maliwa and Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr will step into a room filled with over 120 of football’s most influential power brokers—including Premier League titans Liverpool and Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca.
For years, Amakhosi fans have called for a modernised approach to recruitment. Maliwa’s announcement on LinkedIn on Wednesday suggests those calls have been heard. Explaining the club’s decision to join the elite network, Maliwa shared his thoughts on the necessity of global connectivity in the modern game.
MALIWA SHARES THOUGHTS ON GLOBAL SCOUTING AS KAIZER CHIEFS HEAD TO RABAT
“Football is a business of information, and you need as much access as you can,” Maliwa stated. “I’m thrilled that I will be attending TransferRoom for the first time in Rabat, Morocco, together with our sporting director, Mr Kaizer Motaung Jr.
“It will also be the first time that our club, Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, attends this platform. We as a club are looking to re-strengthen our position in the global transfer market and relations, so the TransferRoom Summit in Rabat is perfect for us to get in touch with a lot of football people, clubs and agents.”
This isn’t just a casual meet-and-greet. TR Live has become the “speed-dating” hub for multi-million-dollar deals. While Chiefs are debutants, their PSL rivals Mamelodi Sundowns are no strangers to the platform. Under sporting director Flemming Berg, the Brazilians have successfully used these summits to facilitate the arrivals of stars like Marcelo Allende and Arthur Sales.
Meanwhile, the trip to Morocco is the second leg of a global diplomatic tour for the Chiefs’ leadership. It follows last week’s FIFA summit in Zurich, where Kaizer Motaung Jr and Marketing Director Jessica Motaung rubbed shoulders with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
However, the Rabat summit is where the “heavy lifting” of squad building happens. TransferRoom CEO Jonas Ankersen explained that the event offers “exclusive one-to-one meetings” designed to cut through the noise of traditional agency bureaucracy.
“TransferRoom Live offers attendees a unique opportunity to expand their network and engage in exclusive one-to-one meetings with clubs and agencies from around the world,” said Ankersen.
“By convening senior football executives during one of the continent’s most important tournaments, TransferRoom Live reinforces its commitment to collaboration, transparency and growth across African and global football markets.”
“The summit will also see Hersi Said, head of Young Africans SC and the African Club Association, take the stage with other prominent voices.
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