The South African Football Association [SAFA] on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, conducted the draw for the much-awaited 2025/26 ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs.
The draw for the national playoffs took place at SAFA House in Nasrec, Johannesburg, with matches scheduled to be hosted from Monday, 1 June to Sunday, 7 June 2026.
The round-robin group stages will be divided into three groups of three teams each. All matches are set to be staged at the multi-purpose Mthatha Stadium in the Eastern Cape.
Unlike the previous campaign, all nine provinces will be fully represented in the battle for promotion to the South African second-tier despite the pending cases in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.
The clubs that will be participating in the upcoming South African third-tier national playoffs are FC Ravens [Eastern Cape], NC Professionals [Northern Cape], NWU Soccer Institute [North West], Hope FC [Western Cape], Mangaung Unite [Free State], Mpheni Defenders [Limpopo], Umvoti FC, UMsinga United or Mkhambathi FC [KwaZulu-Natal, pending case], Luthuli Brigades or Phezulu FC [Mpumalanga, pending case], La Masia or Free Agents [Gauteng, pending].
LAST SEASON’S ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE NATIONAL PLAYOFFS DRAMA
Last season’s playoffs were marred by off-field drama and controversy. The SAFA National Executive Committee [NEC] took a drastic decision to ban representatives from Limpopo and the Eastern Cape due to unresolved legal battles and pending judicial matters in both regions. As a result, the tournament proceeded with only seven teams.
The two teams that successfully reach the final will earn automatic promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship for the 2026/27 season.
In the previous 2024/25 campaign, three teams secured promotion to the National First Division [NFD]. The three teams were Gomora United [Gauteng], The Bees FC [Mpumalanga], and Midlands Wanderers [KZN]. An extra promotional spot was opened up during that cycle following the expulsion of Royal AM from the Premier Soccer League [PSL].
ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE NATIONAL PLAYOFFS FULL DRAW
GROUP A
NWU Soccer Institute [North West]
Mpumalanga
Gauteng
GROUP B
Hope FC [Western Cape]
FC Ravens [ Eastern Cape]
Mangaung Unite [Free State]
GROUP C
NC Professionals [Northern Cape
Mpheni Defenders [Limpopo]
KwaZulu-Natal
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