JOHANNESBURG – Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza, at a live press conference, confirmed on Monday that the domestic season will resume on August 8, following a four-month complete halt.
It had been weeks since the resumption of the season was up in the air, following the war of words between the South African Football Association (Safa) and its special member the PSL. This as the two bodies were tasked to speak with one voice by the Minister of Sport Nath Mthethwa.
The PSL were keen to resume football on July 18, having followed all the required preparations to the tee. However, the mother body were somewhat of a stumbling block to those aspirations, insisting that football can only resume from the first week of August.
On Monday, however, the PSL finally addressed the elephant in the room, saying that the Nedbank Cup semi-finals will restart the season in two weeks’ time after having received the green light from Safa and the government.
OFFICIAL
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) July 27, 2020
The 2019/20 season will resume on 08 August 2020.
First fixture will be the #NedbankCup2020 semis to be followed by the #AbsaPrem and #GladAfricaChampionship
More info to follow: pic.twitter.com/RQD7nKLwmW
In the last four of the premier club knockout competition, Mamelodi Sundowns were scheduled to face the recently sold Bidvest Wits, while financially-threatened Bloemfontein Celtic will be looking for a spot in the last two against relegation-threatened Baroka FC.
As soon as that has been completed, the league season will resume on August 11 – where Kaizer Chiefs will be hoping to consolidate their league at the top as they have a four-point lead with champions Sundowns, who are second on the log, breathing down their next with a game in hand.
@Mihlalibaleka
The Star