The 2026 Mpumalanga Premier’s Cup concluded on Sunday, July 19, at KaNyamazane Stadium after two days of thrilling football and netball competition that brought together school learners, community teams and professional clubs from across the province.
The tournament, held from July, 18 to 19 celebrated grassroots sport while providing a platform for emerging athletes to compete alongside some of Mpumalanga’s top professional football clubs.
The action began on Saturday, with school and community competitions taking place at Lowveld High School (LHS) and Kabokweni Stadium.
Learners competed in football and netball matches at LHS, while Kabokweni Stadium hosted the community football fixtures.
On Sunday, attention shifted to the finals of the school and community competitions, which were played at various venues.
The community netball tournament also got underway on the courts adjacent to KaNyamazane Stadium, while the main stadium hosted the professional football semi-finals and final.
Professional clubs TS Galaxy, Kruger United FC, The Bees and Casric Stars battled for the prestigious Premier’s Cup title.
TS Galaxy emerged victorious after defeating Kruger United FC 3-1 in an entertaining final. The two finalists had booked their places in the championship match by overcoming The Bees and Casric Stars, respectively, in the semi-finals.
The tournament concluded with a prize-giving ceremony recognising the achievements of the winning school and community teams.
School Sport Winners
- Girls’ U16 Football: St. Mark’s Academy (Ehlanzeni)
- Boys’ U16 Football: Skapandoda Secondary School (Bohlabela)
- Botho Netball Champions: Hoërskool Nelspruit (Ehlanzeni)
- Ubuntu Netball Champions: Idlangamabala Secondary School (Ehlanzeni)
Community Sport Winners
- Girls’ U16 Football: Easthigh Academy (Ehlanzeni)
- Men’s U19 Football: Juventus (Ehlanzeni)
- Women’s Netball: KaBokweni 1 (Ehlanzeni)
- Men’s Netball: KaBokweni Lightning (Ehlanzeni)
Professional Football
- Champions: TS Galaxy
- Runners-up: Kruger United FC
Understanding the Botho and Ubuntu Netball Categories
The school netball competition is divided into two streams to ensure fair and balanced competition among participating schools.
The Botho category is reserved for schools in urban areas and former Model C institutions. These schools generally have well-developed sporting infrastructure, specialised netball coaches and regular participation in organised leagues.
The Ubuntu category is designed specifically for schools in rural areas and townships.
These schools often face infrastructure and resource constraints, making a separate competition stream necessary to provide a more level playing field.
By separating the competition into the Botho and Ubuntu streams, the Mpumalanga Premier’s Cup promotes inclusivity while ensuring that schools compete against opponents with similar levels of resources and opportunities.
The 2026 Mpumalanga Premier’s Cup champions.
