Relegated Motsepe Foundation Championship side Black Leopards have explained why they took the decision to withdraw from the SAFA ABC Motsepe League.
Leopards were demoted to the ABC Motsepe League after finishing second from the bottom of the log standings during the 2025/26 season in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Together with fellow Limpopo club Baroka FC, Leopards were due to participate in the SAFA amateur league.
However, SAFA Limpopo sent out a communique last week confirming a decision by the Provincial Executive Committee [PEC] that Leopards will not form part of the league for the upcoming season.
FARPost has since established that Leopards wrote a letter to SAFA informing the association that they will not be participating in the ABC Motsepe League.
This is due to their application to the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] to challenge a decision by both the Premier Soccer League [PSL] and SAFA to dismiss their request to replay four league matches last campaign.
BLACK LEOPARDS WRITES TO SAFA TO EXCLUDE THEM FROM THE ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE PROGRAMME
Leopards argue the PSL incorrectly withdrew their player registration cards at the start of the previous season due to an alleged FIFA transfer ban.
This resulted in the club playing their first match with 10 players and the other three matches without the required number of Under-23 players.
WHY DID BLACK LEOPARDS DECIDE AGAINST PLAYING IN THE ABC MOTSEPE LEAGUE?
Speaking to this publication, club chairman Tshifhiwa ‘Chief’ Thidiela says that, as a club, they did not want to disrupt football programmes and want their case to be finalised first.
“I am the one who requested SAFA to inform them [ABC Motsepe League teams] that we will not be participating until our issue is resolved,” Thidiela told FARPost.
“We serve football, and we don’t want to disrupt, even though we have to fight for our rights. Once everything is clear [from CAS], then we will find a way forward. As long as we do not disrupt the continuity of football.”
Meanwhile, Thidiela has also confirmed to this publication that there is no set date for their case at CAS as yet. This is because the supreme independent international tribunal is still gathering information from both the PSL and Leopards.
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