‘It’s just a suggestion’: Safa on talks with PSL over 18-team league

Reports that local football governing body, Safa, are in negotiations with the professional football body, PSL, over adding two more teams to the elite league spread like a wildfire over the weekend.

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Safa has, however, come out to deny that there are any negotiations and say they had made a recommendation about it, but no further steps were taken. 

The two bodies are known for not getting along. But the reports raised hope that they could finally work together for the betterment of the game. 

“The South African Football Association (Safa) has noted the media reports claiming that the association is in talks with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) about increasing the number of Premiership teams from 16 to 18 sides.  

“Safa wishes to state that no such discussions are taking place between the two organisations,” said Safa in a statement on Wednesday.

“Increasing the Premiership teams from 16 to 18 teams is an idea that was suggested by Safa as a means to help increase the pool of Bafana Bafana players and other junior national teams.”

The reports suggested that it was Safa’s new technical director Walter Steenbok who had come up with the idea of adding two more teams to the top flight. 

Safa gives update on Women’s World Cup bid

But Safa denies this. “Safa also wishes to state that this is not the brainchild of the Association’s Technical Director Walter Steenbok as it was erroneously reported this past weekend. 

“It is in fact a proposal that was proposed by the association.”

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In the same statement, Safa also gave an update on their bid for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

“On another matter, the association made a presentation about South Africa’s bid to host the Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2027 to Parliament’s  Portfolio Committee on Sports on 19 May 2023. 

“And contrary to some reports, the meeting was successful. At no stage did the Committee members say they would not endorse South Africa’s bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and reports claiming such are both malicious and devoid of any truth.”