FARPost has established that the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season is set to commence on the weekend of 1-2 August, while the Motsepe Foundation Championship will kick off three weeks later.
The top-flight league will welcome two new faces in Milford FC and Motsepe Foundation Championship winners Kruger United, following their promotion from the second tier.
Kruger gained automatic promotion, while Milford booked their spot via the gruelling PSL Promotional/Relegation Playoffs, finishing top of the mini-log ahead of Cape Town City FC and Magesi FC. Meanwhile, Orbit College FC’s stay in the elite league lasted just one season as they were relegated alongside Magesi FC.
Soweto giants Orlando Pirates will enter the campaign as defending champions after dramatically toppling rivals Mamelodi Sundowns on the final day of last season to secure their first league title in 14 years.
BETWAY PREMIERSHIP KICKOFF DETAILS
This publication has sighted an official communiqué sent to member clubs confirming the crucial dates for the Betway Premiership, Motsepe Foundation Championship, and the MTN8.
“The Premier Division teams will kick off their fixtures on the weekend of the 1st August with the Betway Premiership,” the communiqué reads.
Following the league’s commencement, the MTN8 competition will take centre stage on Saturday, 8 August 2026. The Motsepe Foundation Championship is scheduled to follow on Friday, 21 August 2026, while the next generation of talent will take to the pitch when the DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] kicks off on Saturday, 5 September 2026.
With the dates locked in, several clubs have already reported back for pre-season training. Among them are Kaizer Chiefs, who returned to Naturena on 18 June to begin their preparations.
Preparations for the new campaign are already gathering pace, with Amakhosi set to embark on a pre-season training camp in Germany this July. While in Europe, Chiefs are expected to fine-tune their squad and face European opposition in a series of high-profile friendly matches.
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