A-Z of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season

The 2025/26 Betway Premiership season gets under way on Saturday as the other 15 top-flight clubs seek to topple champions Mamelodi Sundowns in their quest for an unprecedented ninth consecutive domestic title.

SuperSport.com brings you the A-Z of the campaign ahead of kick-off!

A – The previous two seasons AmaZulu had recorded the most draws in the Betway Premiership. But last term they had the third fewest with only five in their 28 matches. It became win or bust for Usuthu.

B – There will be a seven-week mid-season break in the coming campaign, with the Africa Cup of Nations taking place from 21 December-18 January. League fixtures end in early December and restart in late January.

C – Marumo Gallants had the most goals conceded last season, with 39 in their 28 games. They will need to tighten up at the back, but were not helped by their 8-1 loss to Orlando Pirates.

D - There were 54 draws in the 2024/25 season. That is down from 68 the season before, but there were also 30 fewer games played!

E – Cape Town City goalkeeper Darren Keet was the only ever-present player in the Betway Premiership last season, featuring in every minute of his side’s campaign. He has since moved to Durban City, where he will look to continue a run of having played every league game for his club since September 2023.

F – Early season form will be crucial for many sides as they look to build momentum quickly. This is perhaps most important at the foot of the table, where a bad start can mean a season of struggle. Conversely, positive results at the beginning of the campaign can work as a tonic.

G – There were 423 goals scored across the 210 games in the Betway Premiership last season, an average of 2.01 per season. Not quite the lowest on record, but close. The all-time low is the 479 that were scored in 240 games in the 2021/22 campaign at a shade under 2.00 goals per game.

H – Gavin Hunt continues to extend his record as the coach with the most games under his belt in the Premier Soccer League era. This will be a 28th successive season coaching in the Betway Premiership when he takes charge of new boys Durban City.

I – Mamelodi Sundowns are still chasing an ‘Invincibles’ season and came mighty close in the 2023/24 campaign when they lost to Cape Town City on the final day. Can they become the first South African topflight clubs to achieve the feat in 2025/26?

J – Sergio Kammies of Chippa United was the player credited with receiving the most justice from referees last season when he collected two red cards and six yellows. The only other player sent off twice in the league was Yanela Mbuthuma of Richards Bay, but he got four yellows.

K – Kaizer Chiefs finished outside of the top eight for the second season in a row for the first time in their history. The comforting fact is that although they were ninth, they were only three points off fifth place. Fine margins.

L – Only four Betway Premiership teams – Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United – won more games than they lost in the league last season. For the rest the taste of defeat was more common that the thrill of victory.

M – Can Mamelodi Sundowns go nine in a row? They have been growing their dominance in terms of wins and points with each passing season, so it would take a real drop-off in form for anyone else to come close.

N – Nasreddine Nabi had a mixed first season at Kaizer Chiefs, finishing ninth in the Betway Premiership, but ending the club’s 10-year trophy drought with the Nedbank Cup title. He will know he needs to improve their league form.

O – Orlando Pirates have finished runners-up in the last three seasons, finishing 12 points behind league winners Mamelodi Sundowns. That is better than the gap the year before, which was 23 points! Can they close that gap or even overhaul the Brazilians? They have to believe they can, but it is a tall order.

P – Polokwane City managed just 19 goals in their 28 games last season, two fewer than the season before when they got 21 in 30 games. Only the bottom two -- Cape Town City (15) and SuperSport United (18) -- netted fewer goals, but they still managed to finish seventh!

Q – Four Betway Premiership teams will be in a quest for CAF interclub glory this season. Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates compete in the CAF Champions League, and Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs take part in the CAF Confederation Cup.

R – Orbit College from Rustenburg will make their debut in the Betway Premiership this season having won the playoffs in the last campaign. They are the first team from the North West since Platinum Stars.

S – Siwelele are a new name in the Betway Premiership after they purchased the top-flight status of SuperSport United at the end of the previous campaign. The plan is to eventually play solely out of Bloemfontein.

T – TS Galaxy had the most drawn games last season with 11 of their 28 fixtures ending all square.

U – It is scary to think that all 15 Betway Premiership sides will go into this season as the underdogs against Mamelodi Sundowns, such has been the dominance of the Tshwane side. Who can end their run?

V – Mamelodi Sundowns managed 24 victories in the last campaign, the most ever since the league was reduced to 16 teams. And they managed that from 28 matches! They drew one and lost three of their other four games.

W – SuperSport United had the fewest wins last season with six from 28 games, but managed to avoid the relegation playoffs.

X – With defences tight and scoring at a premium, X-factor players with the ability to conjure a magic moment from nothing have become ever more important.

Y – Mamelodi Sundowns’ Yellow Nation has been growing steadily in recent years but club chairman Thlopie Motsepe has called on them to pack out stadia this year. Will they respond?

Z – Bafana Bafana striker Zakhele Lepasa fell out of favour at Orlando Pirates last season and is a free agent after not playing a single minute for The Buccaneers.