While Navalsig High School, Laerskool Queenswood, and St Marks Academy walked away with national honours in Soshanguve on Wednesday, the true victory of the 2026 Kay Motsepe Schools Football Championship National Finals lay far beyond the scorelines.
For dozens of young learners from South Africa’s rural corners, the tournament offered something far more precious than prize money: exposure, inclusion, and for many, a first trip to Johannesburg.
Organised by the Motsepe Foundation in partnership with Sanlam, SAFA, and the Department of Basic Education, the multi-day showpiece at Giant Stadium saw a staggering R8.6 million in school infrastructure grants distributed across nine winning schools.
Yet, while the immediate headlines celebrate the newly crowned champions, the long-term reality is that this tournament alters the physical and academic landscape of whole communities for generations.
FROM PRIZE MONEY TO BRICK-AND-MORTAR TRANSFORMATION
To understand the magnitude of what these grants achieve, one only needs to look at last year’s Under-19 Boys champions. St Marks Academy sports manager Thomas Selabela detailed the profound brick-and-mortar transformation their Mpumalanga-based school underwent following their national victory last year.
“Winning the Kay Motsepe National Finals has benefited us immensely. With last year’s prize money, we purchased two Toyota Quantum minibuses, drilled a borehole, installed solar panels, repaired our school halls, and are now constructing new sports fields,” Selabela revealed.
Selabela emphasised that the tournament’s impact extends far beyond basic infrastructure, serving as an elite gateway for young talent to break directly into top-flight professional football.
“The exposure has been incredible—every player in our province wants to join St Marks Academy now. Winning last year opened direct doors to the PSL, with Sphamandla Ngwenya and goalkeeper Melusi Mathebula signing first-team contracts with TS Galaxy. They are even here in Pretoria watching us today,” added Selabela.
“TS Galaxy is waiting for five more of our players to complete their matric before signing them, while another four to five have joined Kruger United’s DDC team.”
That legacy of success was sustained on Wednesday as St Marks Academy clinched the U-13 Girls national title and a fresh R1 million grant with a clinical 3–0 win over Western Cape’s Lwazi Primary [R400,000]. Free State’s St Anne’s Primary [R300,000] finished third ahead of Sterkspruit Primary [R200,000].
NAVALSIG AND QUEENSWOOD WRITE NEW CHAPTERS
In the premier U-19 Boys division, Free State’s Navalsig High School dethroned last year’s champions to claim the coveted national crown and a life-changing R3 million infrastructure grant with a 2–0 victory over Eastern Cape’s Urban Academy [R700,000]. Gauteng’s Clapham High School secured third place and R600,000 after beating Ntsu High School [R500,000] 3–0.
The U-13 Boys category saw Gauteng’s Laerskool Queenswood capture top honours and a R1 million grant following a narrow 1–0 win over St Anne’s Primary [R400,000]. Potch Primary [R300,000] took third place after defeating Belfast Primary (R200,000) 2–1.
A PLATFORM FOR LIFE SKILLS AND EQUITY
Speaking at the event, Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns legend Hlompho Kekana reinforced that the tournament answers South Africa’s biggest footballing challenge—talent identification.
“We can all agree as a country that we don’t have an issue with talent; we just need to ensure that we identify and capture it. The Kay Motsepe tournament gives kids the platform to showcase their talent in front of scouts, while equipping them with confidence and social skills that cannot be taught in a classroom.”
Sanlam Marketing Executive Mandisa Theko-Khitsane, celebrating 22 years of partnership with the Motsepe Foundation, highlighted how expanding into primary schools and girls’ football creates genuine access.
“The ability to help students is where you can truly shape the South Africa of tomorrow. The inclusion of the U-13 Girls division speaks directly to access and equity—ensuring we nurture the girl child with the exact same dedication as the boy child.”
As youth coach Surprise Moriri noted, while schools target the prize money to uplift their facilities, the learners leave with memories, exposure, and opportunities that pave the way for a brighter future both on and off the field.
“Not everyone can win, but reaching the national championship is a massive achievement.”
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