Kaizer Chiefs F.C.

Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, based in Naturena, Johannesburg, is the most decorated club in South African football history. Founded in 1970 by Kaizer Motaung, the club has won multiple Premier Soccer League titles and a continental trophy, the African Cup Winners' Cup in 2001. Their home matches at FNB Stadium regularly draw the largest crowds in the league, a reflection of a fanbase estimated at over 16 million at the turn of the millennium.

The club's black and gold kit is instantly recognizable across the continent. The Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates remains one of African football's most intense fixtures, while recent seasons have seen Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United emerge as major challengers. In the 2026-27 season, new head coach Fernando da Cruz is steering the team, with a squad featuring Luke Baartman and recovering defender Rushwin Dortley. [edit]

Kaizer Motaung, born in Orlando East, Soweto, on 16 October 1944, began his playing career in 1960. After a spell in the United States with the Atlanta Chiefs of the NASL, he returned home and founded Kaizer Chiefs on 7 January 1970. The club quickly became a powerhouse, winning its first league title in 1974. Over the following decades, Chiefs accumulated a record number of domestic trophies, including multiple league championships, the Nedbank Cup, the Telkom Knockout, and the MTN 8. Their continental breakthrough came in 2001 when they lifted the African Cup Winners' Cup, defeating Interclube of Angola in the final.

The club's early years were marked by a glamorous, attacking style that earned them the nickname Phefeni Glamour Boys. The 1980s and 1990s saw legends like Doctor Khumalo and Lucas Radebe don the black and gold, with Radebe later captaining Leeds United in the English Premier League. In 2004, Chiefs moved to the newly built FNB Stadium, which they share with the national team. The 2014-15 season brought a league and cup double, but subsequent years have seen a title drought, with the club finishing as runners-up several times. The appointment of Fernando da Cruz ahead of the 2026-27 season signals a new attempt to reclaim the league crown. [edit]