Clinix Stix Morewa Soccer Challenge unearths top talent
Since its introduction in 2004, the Clinix Stix Morewa Soccer Challenge has produced a number of players who have become household names in South African football. Prominent among them is Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane.
After becoming a standout player in the national team, Jane played club football Down Under before making a move to Italy’s AC Milan. She remains in Italian football but has since transferred to Sassuolo.
One of the top men’s players to have graced the event is Sibusiso Vilikazi. The midfielder has turned out for Premier Soccer League clubs Bidvest Wits, Mamelodi Sundowns and now TS Galaxy, and has 36 caps for Bafana Bafana to his name.
When it was established, the tournament’s key objective was to unearth new talent by creating a platform for players to showcase their skills.
Over the years, the Clinix Stix Morewa Soccer Challenge has delivered on that objective by drawing more than 1 200 teams from around Soweto to participate in the competition.
As the tournament developed, additional categories were added. Now, they include the under-11, under-13, under-15, under-17, women’s and men’s categories.
In 2020 and 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament was put on hold, but it is now going strong in its 17th year.
“Women’s football is on the rise worldwide. South Africa is slowly catching up, but the good thing is we are doing something about it. We have the Sasol League and the Hollywoodbets Super League. We’re better off than most countries,” Banyana Banyana assistant coach Simphiwe Dludlu commented at the recent launch of the 2023 tournament, held at the Clinix Health Group offices in Johannesburg.
Evidence of the healthy state of the women’s game lies in the national team being crowned the champions of Africa for the first time in 2022, and in Banyana Banyana reaching the last 16 of the World Cup earlier this year.
The finals for the 2023 edition of the Clinic Stix Morewa Soccer Challenge take place on Sunday, 26 November, at Shapa Soweto (formerly known as Nike Centre). Entry is free.
Finals’ Programme
– 09h00: U11
– 09h00: U13
– 10h00: U15
– 11h00: U17
– 12h00: Women’s Final
– 13h30: U9
– 14h00: Men’s Final
Among the teams that have qualified for the finals are:
Women’s Teams
- Diepkloof Ladies F.C.
- Soweto Ladies F.C.
- Mighty Ladies F.C.
- University of JHB Ladies F.C.
- Ekasi Mighty Eagles Academy
- Professor Ladies F.C.
- Tsa Maseru Ladies F.C
- Community Ladies Development F.C
Men’s Teams
- Mofolo Liverpool F.C.
- Mofolo United Callies F.C.
- Peace Makers F.C
- Junior Bucks F.C.
- Mapetla Barcelona F.C.
- Ndofaya Stars F.C.
- Premier Impala F.C.
- Ama Unity F.C.
