With as much as six new faces in the Nedbank Cup 2019 edition club line-up, the 2018/19 season of one of Africa’s popular tournaments promises to be exciting.
The Nedbank Cup was launched on December 13 in Johannesburg. The draw for the round of 32 was also conducted during the launch. The Nedbank Cup is South Africa’s oldest and one of the most prestigious knockout competitions, but away from the pitch it also offers ordinary fans the opportunity to live their dreams through several life-changing initiatives.
The tournament transcends the 90 minutes and is now associated with many life-changing stories in football where amateurs rub shoulders with the country’s professional stars and get the opportunity to prove why they deserve a shot at the big-time.
“One of the reasons we love football is because it enables young people from all walks of life – be it from the most rural and poverty-stricken areas to dream big. The Nedbank Cup has been a practical vehicle for those dreams to come through. We have seen this with many clubs including Baroka FC who first made a name for themselves in this competition. Now they are a household name. We have more appetite for these stories because we truly believe in the power of football to change lives. Together with Nedbank, we look forward to what 2019 has in store for us. May all the clubs and players, mainly form those amateur structures, grab this opportunity and make use of it,” said PSL acting chief executive Mato Madlala.
“We have become synonymous with supporting the passion of fans and engaging our clients through football thus positively impacting the lives of many South Africans. This runs deep in the fabric of our organisation, which is to use our financial expertise for the benefit of a much larger societal goal,” said Khensani Nobanda, group executive for Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank.
“The football tournament provides amateur players with the opportunity to write their names into South African football folklore, just as Baroka FC did in 2011. While the Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search is about giving aspiring footballers the stage they need to prove their talent, an opportunity they might not otherwise get. And through our partnership with the Sports Trust, we are putting in place facilities that make a tangible difference to the lives of young people by giving them the tools they need to develop their skills, be it in soccer, tennis or basketball. It is an investment in the talent of tomorrow.”
The last 32 fixtures will be played from January 23 to 29, with the PSL to announce exact dates, venues and kick-off times in due course.
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