The new PSL season kicks off next Saturday, with Marumo Gallants away to Richards Bay FC, while the newly formed Siwelele FC will face Golden Arrows in Atteridgeville.

The first match in Bloemfontein is set for Tuesday, 12 August, when Gallants host Orlando Pirates at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium. The last time the Buccaneers played in Bloemfontein, they were beaten 2-0 by Gallants, in what was Abdeslam Ouaddou’s first game as coach in the PSL. Ouaddou has since left Gallants and is now the new Pirates coach.

Junior Zindoga. Photo: Morgan Piek

At this stage, only draft fixtures are available, and they have yet to be finalised by the PSL. However, there’s still some uncertainty, as the relegated Cape Town City FC have been handed an unprecedented lifeline by a SAFA arbitration ruling in their bid to return to the top-flight of South African football.

The arbitration ruling favoured the Citizens, whose case has now been referred to the PSL’s Disciplinary Committee (DC), which could reinstate them if the ruling goes their way.

City appealed an earlier PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) decision, arguing that Marumo Gallants fielded midfielder Monde Mphambaniso without the necessary clearance certificate being issued by the league ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Abdeslam Ouaddou. Photo: Morgan Piek

Should the Bloemfontein-based club be found guilty of fielding an ineligible player, they could be docked points for each of the 26 matches in which he started or came off the bench during the 2024/25 season.

With less than two weeks to go before the new season starts, one has to question why this matter has taken so long to be resolved. It’s also worth noting that Cape Town City failed to secure top-flight status via the PSL promotion-relegation playoffs — which led to Orbit College FC from Rustenburg being promoted to the Premiership for the first time.

Monde Mphambaniso (left) in action for Marumo Gallants against Polokwane City. Photo: Morgan Piek

Meanwhile, according to the draft fixtures in OFM Sport’s possession, Siwelele FC — who have been warmly welcomed in Bloemfontein — are currently not scheduled to play a single home game in the city this season. All 15 of their listed home games are set to be played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville. Should this remain unchanged when the official fixture list is released, it would be a massive and deeply disappointing blow to the fans, who have clearly had their hopes raised.

That said, these are still just draft fixtures, and things may change once the final schedule is published.

Siwelele will, however, make their Bloemfontein debut this Sunday when they take on newly promoted Orbit College FC at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in a PSL warm-up match. This match is scheduled to kick off at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs