The countdown to the Engen Champ of Champs is on
The Engen Champ of Champs media draw was conducted live by SuperSport Schools on Tuesday at the University of Pretoria High Performance Centre (HPC).
The tournament, which brings together the men’s and women’s provincial champion teams from across South Africa, takes place at the same venue, from Friday, 10 October, to Sunday, 12 October.
Some notable alumni of the Engen Cup were also in attendance, including 16-year-old Katleho Malebana, who currently plays for the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies first team. She was joined by Gopolang Taunyana, from the Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development programme, who was part of the u20 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) winning Amajita team earlier this year
Both shared their experiences and memorable moments from their participation in the Engen Champ of Champs.
They were joined by Engen Sports Ambassadors, former Orlando Pirates‘ goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo and former Amajita coach Thabo Senong.
Before a ball is kicked, one thing is certain, and that is that new national champions will be crowned in both the u18 boys’ and u20 girls’ competitions. Last season’s winners, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, failed to advance from the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge.
Chiefs came close to making the national final again, but they were upset by Panorama FC, who scored a come-from-behind 2-1 win to lay claim to the Gauteng honours at Marks Park in July.
Despite winning both the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge and the Champ of Champs in 2024, the Mamelodi Sundowns ladies’ team missed out on the final of this year’s regional competition, which featured the University of Johannesburg (UJ) versus JVW FC, with UJ winning 1-0 to earn the right to the province at the Engen Champ of Champs.
UJ, after their win in the Gauteng tournament, will be viewed as one of the favourites. They’ve been drawn in Group B, where they will face Cape Town Roses, Mafikeng Ladies, and City Lads Ladies.
City Lads Ladies were crowned champions of the girls’ competition in the Engen Knockout Challenge Eastern Cape, at Dale College in Qonce, at the end of August.
UJ will be without a key player for their title challenge, with Adrielle Mibe, who was named both the Player of the Tournament and the Midfielder of the Tournament during the Engen Knockout Challenge Gauteng, currently playing in the United States, where she represents the University of Arizona. Nonetheless, UJ remains a formidable contender.
Group A is made up of Durban Ladies, Sisters FC, EastHigh Girls Academy, Royal Wizards, and Ixias Ladies.
In the boys’ division, the Gauteng representatives, Panorama, will take on Junior Birds, Postmasburg FC, and Bakgaga United in Group A.
On paper, Panorama appears to be a strong contender to move on to the knockout stages. However, their recent performances in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) have been less than convincing, and last weekend they suffered a 0-1 defeat to Randburg AFC.
While their form has been patchy, it is important to note that tournament football differs from league play, and that may serve the Roodepoort-based club well.
In Group B, Chippa United, the Eastern Cape champions, take on Cape Town City, Potch Academy, the North West winners, and KZN’s champions, the Kusekhaya Football Academy.
GROUPS
Boys’ Competition
Group A
EastHigh Boys Academy, Panorama, Junior Birds, Portsmasburg, Bagkaga United
Group B
Cape Town City, Potchefstroom Academy, Kusekhaya Football Academy, Chippa United
Girls’ Competition
Group A
Royal Wizards, Durban Ladies, EastHigh Girls Academy, Ixias Ladies, Sisters
Group B
City Lads Ladies, University of Johannesburg, Cape Town Roses, Mafikeng Ladies
FIXTURES
Day 1, Friday, 10 October
Boys’ Competition
09:00 – EastHigh Boys Academy vs Junior Birds, Field C
09:00 – Postmasburg vs Panorama, Field F
10:30 – Cape Town City vs Kusekhaya Football Academy, Field A
10:30 – Chippa United vs Potch Academy, Field B
12:00 – Bakgaka United vs EastHigh Boys Academy Field F
12:00 – Postmasburg vs Junior Birds, Field B
13:30 – Opening Ceremony
15:00 – Panorama vs Bagkaka United, Field B
Girls’ Competition
09:00 – Royal Wizards vs Sisters FC, Field A
09:00 EastHigh Girls Academy, vs Durban Ladies, Field B
10:30 – City Lads Ladies vs Cape Town Roses, Field C
10:30 – Mafikeng Ladies vs UJ, Field F
12:00 – Ixias Ladies vs Royal Wizards, Field C
12:00 – EastHigh Girls Academy vs Sisters FC, Field F
13:30 – Opening Ceremony
15:00 – Durban Ladies vs Ixias Ladies, Field A
Day 2, Saturday 11 October
Boys’ Competition
09:00 – Bakgaka United vs Junior Birds, Field A
09:00 – Postmasburg FC vs EastHigh Boys Academy, Field B
10:30 – Potch Academy vs Cape Town City, Field A
10:30 – Kusekhaya Football Academy vs Chippa United, Field B
12:00 – Panorama vs Junior Birds, Field C
12:00 – Postmasburg vs Bakgaka United, Field F
13:30 – Cape Town City vs Chippa United, Field C
13:30 – Kusekhaya Football Academy vs Potch Academy, Field F
15:00 – EastHigh Boys Academy vs Panorama, Field A
Girls’ Competition
09:00 – Ixias Ladies vs Sisters FC, Field C
09:00 – EastHigh Girls Academy vs Royal Wizards, Field F
10:30 – UJ vs City Lads Ladies, Field C
10:30 – Cape Town Roses vs Mafikeng Ladies, Field F
12:00 – Durban Ladies vs Sisters FC, Field A
12:00 – EastHigh Girls Academy vs Ixias Ladies, Field B
13:30 – City Lads Ladies vs Mafikeng Ladies, Field A
13:30 – Cape Town Roses vs UJ, Field B
15:00 – Royal Wizards vs Durban Ladies, Field B
Day 3, Sunday, 12 October
Boys’ Semifinals
08:30 – Match 17, Winner A vs Runner-up B, Field C
08:30 – Match 18, Winner B vs Runner-up A, Field F
Girls’ Semifinals
08:30 – Match 17, Winner A vs Runner-up B, Field A
08:30 – Match 18, Winner B vs Runner-up A, Field B
3rd/4th Playoffs
Boys 10:30 – Match 19, Loser M17 vs Loser Match 18, Field F
Girls
10:30 – Match 19, Loser L17 vs Loser L18, Field C
Finals
Girls
10:30 – Winner 17 vs Winner 18, Tuks Stadium
Boys
11:30 – Winner Match 17 vs Winner Match 18, Tuks Stadium
