South African Premier Division

For other uses, see Premier League (disambiguation).
ABSA Premiership
Country  South Africa
Confederation CAF
Founded 1996
Number of teams 16
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to National First Division
Domestic cup(s) Nedbank Cup
Telkom Knockout
MTN 8
International cup(s) Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current champions Mamelodi Sundowns
(2015–16)
Most championships Mamelodi Sundowns (7)
TV partners SuperSport, SABC1
Website www.psl.co.za
2015–16 South African Premier Division

The South African Premier Division (referred to as the ABSA Premiership for sponsorship reasons) is the highest division of South African football league system. As the division is the top level of association football in South Africa, it is often referred to as the PSL – the name of the league's administrator.

The Premier Soccer League, South Africa's "administrator of professional football in the Republic of South Africa" refer to the competition as the "Premier Division" in their constitution.[1]

History

Manning Rangers were the first to be crowned champions of the Premier Division in 1997 when the Gordon Igesund-coached side was stunning all and sundry by winning the title ahead of a number of more fancied opponents.

From 1998 to 2000 the league was dominated by Sundowns, who pulled off a hat-trick of titles.

In 2001, Igesund moved to Orlando Pirates and helped the Buccaneers secure the title. The following season he moved to Cape Town-based Santos, and steered it to win the league title, thus becoming the first coach to win the championship with three different clubs.

The 11 April 2001 marked a dark chapter in South African history when 43 people lost their lives and 158 others were injured in a stampede during a match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at an overcrowded Ellis Park Stadium.

The league was reduced from 18 to 16 teams after the end of the 2001–02 season to avoid fixture congestion, causing two teams, Ria Stars and Free State Stars, to be disbanded.

In 2004, a match-fixing scandal rocked South African football. An investigation codenamed "Operation Dribble" was launched by the South African police in June 2004. More than 40 arrests were made, ranging from club bosses to match commissioners, referees and their assistants.

Kaizer Chiefs successfully defended their league title in 2005 after they won the prestigious trophy in 2004 for the first time in a decade.

The 2005–06 season saw Mamelodi Sundowns capturing the title for the fourth time.

In 2007, the PSL signed a television deal with SuperSport worth R1.6-billion. It is the biggest sporting deal in the history of South Africa, and it took the Premier Division into the top 15 ranked leagues in the world in terms of commercial broadcast deals.

In the same year ABSA replaced Castle Lager as name sponsor.

In 2008, 2009 and 2010 Supersport United won a hat-trick of titles.

The league currently has teams in most of the country's largest cities, with Port Elizabeth being the obvious exception. The city has not had a team in the league since the 2008–09 Premier Soccer League, when the city's Bay United F.C. were relegated.

The league is rated as the 12th best in Africa in 2015. This is according to the CAF 5-Year Ranking system.

CEOs

Sponsorship

Since its inception in 1996, the Premier Division has been sponsored. The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they called the competition:

Format

There are sixteen clubs in the Premier League. During the course of a season (which lasts from August to May) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents for a total of 30 games for each club. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a defeat.

The champion and runners up of the Premier Division advances to the CAF Champions League, while the third place finishers and the Nedbank Cup champions advance to the CAF Confederation Cup, which is the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

The bottom team in the ABSA Premiership is automatically relegated and replaced by the winner of the National First Division. The team finishing 15th on the log enters a mini-league playoff with the teams who finished 2nd and 3rd in the National First Division – the winner earning a place in Premier Soccer League for the following season.

Media coverage

The league's main broadcast partner is SuperSport. SuperSport have in turn sub leased the rights to certain matches to the SABC, so that matches can be shown on public television.

SuperSport broadcast matches on Wednesday and Friday nights, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays. The SABC broadcast Wednesday afternoon matches, as well as Saturday and Sunday matches.

Clubs

Past seasons

Previous Winners, Runners-up and Relegated/Promoted Teams

Season Winner Runner-up Relegated at end of season Promoted at end of season
1996–97 Manning Rangers Kaizer Chiefs Michau Warriors; Witbank Aces Santos, African Wanderers
1997–98 Mamelodi Sundowns Kaizer Chiefs African Wanderers; Real Rovers Seven Stars, Dynamos
1998–99 Mamelodi Sundowns Kaizer Chiefs Dynamos; Vaal Professionals African Wanderers, Tembisa Classic
1999-00 Mamelodi Sundowns Orlando Pirates AmaZulu; Mother City Golden Arrows, Ria Stars
2000–01 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs Bloemfontein Celtic; African Wanderers Amazulu, Black Leopards
2001–02 Santos Supersport United AmaZulu; Tembisa Classic African Wanderers, Dynamos
2002–03 Orlando Pirates Supersport United Bush Bucks; African Wanderers Amazulu, Silver Stars
2003–04 Kaizer Chiefs Ajax Cape Town Hellenic; Zulu Royals Bush Bucks, Bloemfontein Celtic
2004–05 Kaizer Chiefs Orlando Pirates Manning Rangers; Wits University Free State Stars, Tembisa Classic
2005–06 Mamelodi Sundowns Orlando Pirates Free State Stars; Bush Bucks Wits University, Benoni Premier United
2006–07 Mamelodi Sundowns Platinum Stars Maritzburg United Free State Stars
2007–08 Supersport United Ajax Cape Town Black Leopards; Jomo Cosmos Maritzburg United, Bay United
2008–09 Supersport United Orlando Pirates Bay United; Thanda Royal Zulu Jomo Cosmos, Mpumalanga Black Aces
2009–10 Supersport United Mamelodi Sundowns Jomo Cosmos Vasco da Gama
2010–11 Orlando Pirates Ajax Cape Town Mpumalanga Black Aces, Vasco da Gama Jomo Cosmos, Black Leopards
2011–12 Orlando Pirates Moroka Swallows Santos, Jomo Cosmos University of Pretoria, Chippa United
2012–13 Kaizer Chiefs Platinum Stars Chippa United, Black Leopards Mpumalanga Black Aces, Polokwane City
2013–14 Mamelodi Sundowns Kaizer Chiefs Golden Arrows Chippa United
2014–15 Kaizer Chiefs Mamelodi Sundowns Moroka Swallows, Amazulu Golden Arrows, Jomo Cosmos
2015–16 Mamelodi Sundowns Bidvest Wits Not confirmed Not confirmed

Most league titles

Team Wins
Mamelodi Sundowns 7
Kaizer Chiefs 4
Orlando Pirates 4
Supersport United 3
Manning Rangers 1
Santos 1

Manager records

League winning managers

Season Winner Manager
1996–97 Manning Rangers South Africa Gordon Igesund
1997–98 Mamelodi Sundowns Romania Ted Dumitru
1998–99 Mamelodi Sundowns Romania Ted Dumitru
1999-00 Mamelodi Sundowns France Paul Dolezar
2000–01 Orlando Pirates South Africa Gordon Igesund
2001–02 Santos South Africa Gordon Igesund
2002–03 Orlando Pirates Zimbabwe Roy Barreto
2003–04 Kaizer Chiefs Romania Ted Dumitru
2004–05 Kaizer Chiefs Romania Ted Dumitru
2005–06 Mamelodi Sundowns South Africa Neil Tovey &
Argentina Miguel Gamondi
2006–07 Mamelodi Sundowns South Africa Gordon Igesund
2007–08 Supersport United South Africa Gavin Hunt
2008–09 Supersport United South Africa Gavin Hunt
2009–10 Supersport United South Africa Gavin Hunt
2010–11 Orlando Pirates Netherlands Ruud Krol
2011–12 Orlando Pirates Peru Augusto Palacios
2012–13 Kaizer Chiefs F.C. Scotland Stuart Baxter
2013–14 Mamelodi Sundowns South Africa Pitso Mosimane
2014–15 Kaizer Chiefs F.C. Scotland Stuart Baxter
2015–16 Mamelodi Sundowns South Africa Pitso Mosimane

League records

League participants

Club Number of seasons in Premier Division Seasons
African Wanderers41997/98, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2002/03
AmaZulu151996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2003/04,[note 1] 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15
Ajax Cape Town171999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Bay United12008/09
Benoni Premier United12006/07
Bidvest Wits University191996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Black Leopards92001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2011/12, 2012/13
Bloemfontein Celtic 171996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Bush Bucks 91996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2005/06
Cape Town Spurs 31996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99[note 2]
Chippa United32012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16
Dynamos 51998/99, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06,
Free State Stars 161996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99,[note 3] 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Hellenic 81996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04
Jomo Cosmos 151996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16
Kaizer Chiefs 201996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Lamontville Golden Arrows 152000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2015/16
Mamelodi Sundowns 201996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Manning Rangers 91996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05
Maritzburg United 92006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Michau Warriors 11996/97
Moroka Swallows 191996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15
Mother City 11999/00
Mpumalanga Black Aces 61996/97,[note 4] 2009/10, 2010/11, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Orlando Pirates 201996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Platinum Stars 132003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07,[note 5] 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Polokwane City 32013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Real Rovers 21996/97, 1997/98
Ria Stars 22000/01, 2001/02
Santos 151997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12
Seven Stars 11998/99[note 2]
Supersport United 201996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Tembisa Classic 41999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2005/06
Thanda Royal Zulu 22007/08, 2008/09
University of Pretoria 42012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16
Vaal Professionals 31996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99
Vasco Da Gama 12010/11
  1. ↑ Amazulu participated as Zulu Royals in 2003/04
  2. 1 2 Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars were merged to create Ajax Cape Town
  3. ↑ Free State Stars participated as Qwa Qwa Stars in 1996/97, 1997/98 and 1998/99
  4. ↑ Participated as Witbank Aces in 1996/1997
  5. ↑ Platinum Stars participated as Silver Stars in 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07

Top goalscorers

Season Player Goals Team Source
1996–97Zimbabwe Wilfred Mugeyi22Bush Bucks
1997–98South Africa Daniel Mudau24Sundowns
1998–99South Africa Pollen Ndlanya21Kaizer Chiefs
1999–00Zambia Dennis Lota18Orlando Pirates[2]
2000–01Zimbabwe Gilbert Mushangazhike19Manning Rangers[3]
2001–02South Africa Ishmael Maluleke18Manning Rangers[4]
2002–03South Africa Lesley Manyathela18Orlando Pirates[5]
2003–04South Africa Jackie Ledwaba14Zulu Royals[6]
2004–05Zambia Collins Mbesuma25Kaizer Chiefs[7]
2005–06Senegal Mame Niang14Swallows[8]
2006–07Zambia Chris Katongo15Jomo Cosmos[9]
2007–08Zambia James Chamanga14Swallows[10]
2008–09South Africa Richard Henyekane19Golden Arrows[11]
2009–10South Africa Katlego Mphela17Sundowns
2010–11Zimbabwe Knowledge Musona15Kaizer Chiefs
2011–12South Africa Siyabonga Nomvethe20Moroka Swallows
2012–13South Africa Katlego Mashego13Moroka Swallows
2013-14South Africa Bernard Parker10Kaizer Chiefs[12]
2014–15South Africa Moeketsi Sekola14Free State Stars

All time top goalscorers

NB: list includes all players who have scored at least 100 goals in the PSL era. Also includes cup competitions.

Source:[13]

Current products

Footballers who have previously played for Premier Division clubs, and currently play for clubs in other confederations.

Founder Members

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ "NSL Constitution" (pdf). Premier Soccer League.
  2. ↑ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_goalscorers00.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_goalscorers01.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_goalscorers02.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_goalscorers03.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_goalscorers04.htm
  7. ↑ http://www.thepsl.co.za/content.asp?id=16475
  8. ↑ http://www.thepsl.co.za/content.asp?id=16476
  9. ↑ http://www.thepsl.co.za/content.asp?id=16477
  10. ↑ http://www.thepsl.co.za/content.asp?id=16478
  11. ↑ http://www.psl.co.za/scorers.asp?id=794&s=3
  12. ↑ "Premier Soccer League". soccerassociation.com. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  13. ↑ http://www.kickoff.com/news/37584/mabhuti-khenyeza-reaches-psl-record-100-goals-list
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