Football is alive and well in Tshwane – the City of Champions.  The two biggest teams in Tshwane are Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United, who between them have won seven of the thirteen PSL titles since the leagues inception in 1996. 

Mamelodi Sundowns

Sundowns Football Club was originally formed in the early 1960 in Marabastad, a multiracial area close to the Pretoria CBD, and was relocated to Mamelodi in the early 1980’s.  In 1984 Sundowns was given first position in the second division in the newly formed National Soccer League. It took just one season to earn promotion into the first division where in 1987 they broken the reign of the Soweto teams by winning three tiles that season.   In 2004 the club was renamed Mamelodi Sundowns.

Nicknamed ‘the Brazilians’ after their blue and yellow kit, the team can claim the title of the most successful club in the history of the PSL having won five league championships and being the only club to win the championship in three successive seasons.

Mamelodi Sundowns currently makes use of Loftus Versfeld Stadium as its home ground.  However, the team was previously based at HM Pitjie Stadium in Mamelodi, which is currently undergoing major upgrades.

Read more on www.sundownsfc.com 

Supersport United

Until 1995, Supersport United was called Pretoria City FC.  In 1994 Pretoria City was bought by a leading South Africa media house and the injection of money allowed for new players and coaches.  However, the side had been struggling to remain in the first division and at the end of 1994 was relegated to the second division.

However, their stay lasted only one year and in that year they made South African soccer history when they became the first second division team to reach the final of the National Cup competition and thereby qualified to compete in the Confederation of African Cup Winners Cup Competition for Second and Third division teams.

In the same year, the name was changed to Supersport United.  The team has been consistent in their performance since 1997 but has dominated in recent years, rivalling fellow Tshwane champions, Mamelodi Sundowns in both success and fan base. 

Supersport United FC are the reigning league (PSL) champions, having won the title for the second title in a row.  The team also has 11 team members who have played for the national team, Bafana Bafana. 

Read more on www.sufc.co.za