Capacity crowd to savour epic showdown between Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs will head to the Western Cape to launch their 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign against Stellenbosch FC at Athlone Stadium tomorrow (5.30pm kick-off).

This game marks the beginning of Chiefs' 56th season in South Africa’s top-flight football, having first competed at the highest level in 1971. It also represents their 30th league campaign in the PSL era, which began in the 1996/97 season.

On Thursday, the PSL announced that tickets had sold out. This game marks the first time since the inaugural PSL season that Chiefs open a league campaign in the Western Cape. The only other time they faced a team from the province in a season opener was in 2009/10, when they played to a goalless draw against Santos.

However, Amakhosi head coach Nasreddine Nabi will not be travelling with the team for their opening match. The decision follows a serious accident involving his wife at their home in Tunisia, prompting the coach to urgently return to his home country to support his family during this critical time.

Across their 29 opening league matches since 1996, Chiefs have won 16, drawn eight, and lost five. This weekend’s clash will also mark their 20th time starting a PSL campaign away from home. In the previous 19 away openers, they’ve won 11, drawn six, and lost just twice.

Their most emphatic season-opening win came on the road in 2012/13, when they thrashed AmaZulu 6-0, setting the tone for a title-winning campaign.

Notably, three of Chiefs’ four PSL-era league titles were launched with away victories. They beat Dynamos 4-1 in the 2004/05 season, routed AmaZulu 6-0 in 2012/13, and edged Free State Stars 1-0 in 2014/15.

Sunday’s clash will be the 13th league meeting between Chiefs and Stellenbosch. Chiefs hold the advantage with six wins, three draws, and three defeats. Last season, Chiefs defeated Stellies three times across all competitions: a 1-0 away league win, a 2-1 home victory, and a 3-1 triumph in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final.

Chiefs have a strong away record against Stellenbosch, with four wins, one draw, and just a single defeat on their previous visits. One of those wins was particularly historic. On 9 October 2022, former Chiefs striker Caleb Bimenyimana netted a hat-trick of penalties in a 3-1 win, becoming the first player in PSL history to score three penalties in a single match.

Chiefs will now aim for their third consecutive league victory over Stellenbosch and a fourth straight away win against the Cape Winelands side.

Very likely, the biggest roar of the day will be reserved for the former hometown hero Ashley Du Preez, who now spearheads Chiefs' attack.

On the eve of the team's departure for the Mother City, Du Preez, full of optimism, outlined his vision for the season, suggesting that the Chiefs, despite scepticism from pundits, are ready to contend for both league and cup victories.

"I think this year, we can compete for everything – the league and cup games," Du Preez insisted. "We just have to be, from day one, 100 per cent sure that we can compete and win the league.”

His confidence comes not just from lofty aspirations, but from a rigorous pre-season that included matches in the Netherlands, which he described as “amazing”.

"The way we played and competed with teams in the Netherlands was a good pre-season,” he remarked, highlighting the rigorous training and competitive spirit displayed during this crucial preparation phase.

The team dynamics appear strong, with Du Preez noting a shared energy and mindset among teammates.

“As a team, we look good together; in camp, we have the same energy and the same mindset. We know what we want to achieve this season, so we can take the pre-season into the league and play every game at the highest level and compete,” he asserted.

This shared sense of purpose could be pivotal as they aim to break the cycle of inconsistency that has shadowed their previous campaigns.

Adding to the narrative is Du Preez’s personal history with his former club, which adds layers of emotional stakes to the upcoming match. The striker has notched up three goals against his previous team, and he’s hopeful of making it four as the new season begins tomorrow.