The 2025-2026 domestic football season kicks off this weekend with the MTN8 competition that features last campaign’s top eight league finishers, and for the second year running, Kaizer Chiefs will not take part.
Amakhosi ended their 10-year trophy drought, winning the Nedbank Cup last season in coach Nasreddine Nabi’s first campaign in charge. However, they ended in ninth place in the Betway Premiership, narrowly beating their worst 10th position in 2023-2024.
South Africa's former cup kings will hope that breaking their decade-long trophy barren spell can spark the beginning of a climb back to reclaiming former glory, but such a path will not occur in the 2025-2026 MTN8.
Chiefs’ bitter rivals Orlando Pirates meet Polokwane City in the opening match of the return to football in their MTN8 quarterfinal at Orlando Stadium (3pm) on Saturday, with Sekhukhune United playing TS Galaxy at Peter Mokaba Stadium in the later match (6pm).
On Sunday, Stellenbosch FC clash with AmaZulu at Cape Town Stadium (3pm) and eight-time successive Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns meet Richards Bay FC at Lucas Moripe Stadium (6pm).
Supporters of Amakhosi, meanwhile, can only yearn for the days when a top-half league finish and place in the annual top 8 was a formality.
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