Kaizer Chiefs pulls cloud of uncertainty over KZN Premier’s Cup

The staging of the 2025 KZN Premier’s Cup has been thrown into doubt following confirmation that Kaizer Chiefs will host their Toyota Cup clash in Durban on the same weekend as the annual provincial tournament.

Now in its 14th year, the Premier’s Cup has long served as the key pre-season event for KwaZulu-Natal’s top-flight and professional clubs. 

Traditionally held during the last weekend of July, the competition draws major interest as clubs like AmaZulu, Golden Arrows, and Richards Bay fine-tune preparations ahead of the new Betway Premiership season.

In years past, the tournament has crowned provincial champions, with former clubs such as Royal AM and the recently restructured Maritzburg United among previous winners. 

However, the integrity and focus of the 2025 edition now appear under threat.

The second edition of the Kaizer Chiefs Toyota Cup is set to take place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday, July 26, the same weekend earmarked for the Premier’s Cup. 

Chiefs will welcome Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko for what promises to be a spectacle, with thousands expected to descend on the city to witness the Soweto giants’ latest recruits in action.

With Chiefs boasting a sizeable fanbase in KZN, concerns have been raised over the potential impact on the Premier’s Cup—particularly its attendance, commercial appeal, and overall relevance. 

Independent Media has established that there is growing frustration among some of the tournament’s regular participants regarding the KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s (DSAC) decision to permit Chiefs to host their match on the same weekend.

Adding to the significance of the 2025 edition, the Premier’s Cup was expected to serve as the launch event for the reopening of the Mhlathuze Sports Complex in Richards Bay, which has been undergoing renovations for the past three years.

However, the looming clash with Chiefs’ high-profile fixture may overshadow those plans. Clubs are understood to be seeking further clarity from the DSAC on logistics and scheduling.

When approached for comment, Golden Arrows and the provincial department were unavailable.

AmaZulu and Richards Bay opted to reserve their positions until meetings on the matter had taken place.

AmaZulu’s Public Relations Officer, Philani Ndlela, stated that the club was aware of the situation but would refrain from making any public comment until all relevant discussions had been concluded.

Richards Bay’s Media Officer, Xolani Zungu, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the club had yet to consider the implications of Chiefs’ fixture and were still awaiting communication from the department concerning the logistics of the tournament.

With tensions quietly simmering behind the scenes, the overlap between the two events presents a real threat to the stature and organisation of one of the province’s most anticipated football weekends.

The launch of the Premier’s Cup is scheduled for next week.