Stellenbosch FC head coach Gavin Hunt has raised concerns over the disruptive impact of the prolonged FIFA international break ahead of Tuesday evening’s Betway Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs.
Betway Premiership action will resume on Tuesday, 13 October, after a longer-than-usual international break. The break ran from 21 September to 6 October 2026 after FIFA combined the traditional September and October international windows into one period.
Hunt and his troops’ last match was a 1-0 win over Kruger United in the Betway Premiership on 19 September. Hunt will now travel to the FNB Stadium to face his former side, with the match starting at 19:30.
“It’s been a longer FIFA break than normal. So I think everyone is ready to play and ready to go, but it was a bit of a hindrance,” Hunt said, as quoted by the Stellenbosch FC website.
GAVIN HUNT ADMITS THE LONG BREAK COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON HIS SIDE
“I think the whole world will feel that way because three weeks is a long time. It’s very difficult to keep training for that amount of time and to stay motivated.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t really able to make the most of it either because we have so many players out – and that’s not to make excuses – but it’s been tough with so many [players] out injured,” he added.
STELLENBOSCH FC MISSING SOME PLAYERS AHEAD OF THE CLASH AGAINST KAIZER CHIEFS
The club has confirmed that Mosa Lebusa, Surprise Nhlabathi, and Orlando Mbembe are among the players still unavailable due to injuries. But the 62-year-old is not making an excuse and wants his team to remain competitive.
“The most important thing for us is to get a team out there that is fit to play. Our injury list is huge, and that detracts a little bit, but we will be competitive, and that’s the most important thing,” Hunt declared.
“It’s always a game that people are excited to play in. We’re looking forward to it and hoping there will be a nice crowd, which I am sure there will be. It’s another away game; it’s now six out of eight for us so far [including the home fixture played in Durban], but we have to face it, confront it and get the best possible team out there from what we have available.”
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