The new kick off date for the PSL season has been set and it’s 14 August.
This after the ongoing court battle between the league and Royal AM has delayed things at the Parktown office.
Royal have thrown all their eggs into the one basket now and want to be recognised as the GladAfrica champions instead of Sekhukhune United.
They had a chance to fight for promotion via the playoffs, but they decided not to honour those fixtures and as a result Chippa United were able to retain their top-flight status.
If all goes accordingly and the court battle is resolved, the new season will kick off with the traditional MTN8 quarterfinals.
Cape Town City will represent iKapa in the MTN8 and will travel to face Benni McCarthy’s AmaZulu away.
Cape Town City kicks off the 2021/22 season with the @MTN8 QF on the weekend of the 14th of August!
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) July 27, 2021
They boys start the campaign with an away fixture against AmaZulu FC.#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/U4zzagQ3k4
Benni has a special bond with this tournament as he is the only person to win it as a player and coach.
He won it as an Orlando Pirates player and then later memorably with the Citizens in his first year as a head coach.
Benni will then lead his Usuthu Warriors against PSL defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the league opener at Loftus Versfeld on Friday, 20 August.
City on the other hand are set to welcome SuperSport United at the Cape Town Stadium for their opening game.
SuperSport are former employers of head coach Eric Tinkler, who had poached the former Bafana Bafana midfielder from the Citizens in his first stint at the club.
Things didn’t go as planned for Tinkler at Matsatsantsa, however, and he was fired without finishing the season
Fagrie Lakay and Thato Mokeke are also former players of the club, but I can’t really tell if there is any fire burning inside either of them to prove their former team wrong for letting them go.
It will be interesting to see how the Cape Town Stadium is managed in the new campaign as it will be a shared venue between idiski and rugby.
Western Province Rugby Union will be the new tenants so it’s unclear if the Citizens will have to speak to the City of Cape Town or the rugby ouens to get the keys for the gate.
City have signed the exciting Khanyisa Mayo, who at 22 years old is primed to prove how far he can step up to his the levels set by his father Patrick Mayo.
📝| The Club is delighted confirm the signing of Khanyisa Mayo.
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) July 28, 2021
Mayo linked up with the Citizens on camp last week. Today he signs a deal until June 2025 and has officially moved to the Mother City 👏 #iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/GtvxaCwXOA
They have also beefed up thee goalkeeping department with Darren Keet who has returned to the Mother City where he made his name as an amateur, and Bongani Mpandle, who Tinkler knows from his Maritzburg United days.
Meanwhile, Stellenbosch has been quietly going about their business in the Winelands, making some changes to the support staff with the addition of pastor Bruce Nadin as the club’s Sports Chaplin.
Captain Robyn Johannes, who recently extended his contract by a year, has returned from injury and will be fit for the start of the new campaign.
Argentinian playmaker Junior Mendieta has also put pen to paper on a permanent deal to remain at Danie Craven, after a season-log loan.
The club has however released Asavela Mbekile, Kristopher Bergman, as well as Phathutshedzo Nange, who has joined Kaizer Chiefs.
They will begin their third season in the top flight with a trip away to face Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium.
The claim is that Orlando Stadium is the “Mecca of SA football” because that's where some of the country’s legends made their name.
With that said, it’s a massive opportunity for Stellies to showcase their talents on that legendary ground in Soweto.