PSL’s founding teams dwindling in numbers as the times change

There were 18 clubs in the inaugural season of the Premier Soccer League in 1996, but only four survive, going into the 2025-26 season some 30 years on.

Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have competed in every season in the PSL and have long been considered the big three of the South African game.

AmaZulu also competed in the first PSL season but have been relegated four times over the past three decades, only to fight or buy their way back to the top flight.

What has happened to the rest? There is an ever-increasing list of clubs who have gone by the wayside over the last 30 seasons.

Here is SuperSport.com’s guide to the 18 clubs who kicked off the PSL in 1996 and what happened to them:

AmaZulu: AmaZulu are still in the top flight, now competing in an eight successive season since their return in 2017. They were runners-up in 2021, their best return since winning the NPSL in 1972, which was their only league success.

Bloemfontein Celtic: They built a unique reputation for the passionate singing of their supporters. Celtic were founded in 1969 but struggled for consistency in the early years of the NPSL before stabilising in the 1980s under English coach Dave Roberts. Their last of their many owners was Max Tshabalala, who sold the club to Shawn Mkhize of Royal AM in 2021.

Cape Town Spurs: Spurs and Seven Stars combined to form Ajax Cape Town in 1999, but the two original co-owners left, with Ari Efstathiou taking over in mid-2013. Ajax Amsterdam pulled out of the co-operation in 2020, when their name reverted to Spurs. Two successive relegations see them now in the third tier.

Hellenic: The Cape Town club had been formed in 1958 and won the whites-only National Football League in 1971. They were sold by owner George Hadjidakis to East Rand businessman Dumisani Ndlovu in 2004 and renamed Benoni Premier United.

Jomo Cosmos: Jomo Sono’s team still survive but now in the third tier of South African football. They were a force through the first 10 seasons of the PSL but then yo-yoed between the top two divisions, last relegated from the top flight in 2016.

Kaizer Chiefs: AmaKhosi have played in every top flight season since 1971 when the old National Professional Soccer League was launched with a total of 12 league championship successes, the last of which came in 2015.

Mamelodi Sundowns: A total of 18 league titles since their first in the late 80s makes the Brazilians the country’s most successful club, with three appearances in the African Champions League final, winning in 2016, and fresh from the Club World Cup.

Manning Rangers: The inaugural PSL champions, under Gordon Igesund, were Durban-based and remained in the top flight until 2005 when they finished second last and were then relegated when they lost to Hellenic in the first ever promotion-relegation playoffs.

Michau Warriors: The Eastern Cape based club spent a single season in the PSL’s inaugural 1996/97 campaign after buying the franchise of Crystal Brains from Durban for R1.3-million. Warriors owner Michau Huiseman was later arrested in Britain for alleged drug running.

Moroka Swallows: The Birds had been inaugural members of the NPSL in 1971 and played in every top flight season until surprise relegation in 2015. The club was liquidated after that but their name was restored by David Mogashoa, who got them back to the top flight but then ran out of money two seasons ago and sold the franchise to Marumo Gallants.

Orlando Pirates: The Buccaneers are the other club who have not missed a season since they were the first NPSL champions in 1971. It was the first of nine league titles, the last of which came in 2012.

QwaQwa Stars: The club from Phuthaditjababa sold their status to the PSL in 2002 to reduce numbers in the top flight, used some of the money to buy Maholosiane FC in 2003 and worked their back up to the league again as Free State Stars, but were relegated in 2019.

Real Rovers: The club from Mahwelereng were second division winners in 1993 and spent four seasons in the top flight, straddling the transition from the National Soccer League to the PSL, before being relegated in 1998.

SuperSport United: Their run of having competed in all the PSL seasons, and finishing in the top flight in almost all of their campaigns too, came to an end with last month’s sale of the club to Siwelele FC, who will be based in Bloemfontein and are owned by Calvin Le John.

Umtata Bucks: Under Trott Moloto, the Transkei club were fourth in the first PSL season but stayed in the top flight until relegated in 2006. By that stage the club had moved from Umtata to East London.

Vaal Professionals: The iconic club from Sebokeng were NPSL founder members but their only major triumph was winning the BoB Save Super Bowl in 1994. They played in the first three PSL seasons before being relegated in 1999.

Witbank Aces: Founded in 1937, AmaZayoni are another of the iconic names of South African soccer and NPSL founder members but were relegated at the end of the first PSL season in 1997. Mpumalanga Black Aces were launched in the mid-2000s to try and revive the name but sold in 2017 to John Comitis, who launched Cape Town City.

Wits University: The club was 99 years old when the franchise was sold in 2020 to Tshakhuma tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), who within six months had then sold it onto Marumo Gallant’s owner Abram Sello. Wits competed in top flight football from 1978 and won the league title in 2017, the last club besides Sundowns to do so.