Seen Here: Focused. Fearless. Ready for the national stage. Kaizer Chiefs U19 head coach David Mathebula leads his young Amakhosi charges into the Engen Champ of Champs with one clear objective — compete for the title and represent Gauteng with pride🏆 Photo Credit: Supplied
Pretoria, 30 September 2026 — Kaizer Chiefs Under-19 head coach David Mathebula says his young side is ready to embrace the challenge of national competition as Amakhosi prepare to battle South Africa’s top youth teams at the 2026 Engen Champ of Champs.
Chiefs secured their place in the prestigious tournament after winning the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge in July, earning the right to represent the province at the national showpiece.
The tournament, staged under the slogan “Where Diski Legends Start”, takes place at the University of Pretoria’s High-Performance Centre from 2 to 4 October, bringing together leading youth teams from across the country.
For Mathebula, the tournament represents an opportunity not only to compete for silverware but also to test his players against different football philosophies and some of the strongest youth sides from other provinces.
“We are ready and we’re happy that we’re playing the national,” Mathebula said.
The Chiefs coach pointed to the quality of opposition expected at the tournament, highlighting Antalyaspor JPM CT FC and AmaZulu among the teams that have impressed during their respective qualifying campaigns.
Seen Here: ⚽ The young Amakhosi are ready to make their mark. After conquering the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge, Kaizer Chiefs U19 now turn their attention to the national stage, where the country’s finest youth sides await. The journey to glory starts here🏆 Photo Credit: Supplied
“You look at the likes of Antalyaspor JPM CT FC, we’ve seen that they have been doing well. We’ve seen AmaZulu qualify and we believe the other provinces will bring stronger teams as well,” he said.
For the young Amakhosi players, the prospect of competing nationally has already become a major talking point at training, with Mathebula revealing that the squad is eagerly anticipating the challenge.
“You can hear they’re talking about the Engen most of the time when we are training. But we are ready and we believe we’ll continue to prepare very well, and we’ll do well because we’re representing the province.”
Seen Here: 🏆 No room for hesitation. No appetite for settling. Kaizer Chiefs head into the Engen Champ of Champs determined to test themselves against the best and push all the way to the final. Where ambition meets opportunity, future legends emerge. ⚽ Photo Credit: Supplied
Chiefs targeting the final
While development remains an important part of youth football, Mathebula made it clear that Chiefs are heading to Pretoria with competitive ambitions.
The coach does not want his team merely to participate. He expects them to compete deep into the tournament and challenge for the title.
“We don’t want to go there and then have a bad tournament,” Mathebula said.
“We want to go as far as the final and obviously, as I said, they are playing to win. We want to win the Champ of Champs.”
That ambition will be tested against a field featuring youth teams from across South Africa, with the national tournament providing players with an opportunity to showcase their ability on a larger stage.
For Chiefs, the weekend will also be about carrying the expectations associated with representing Gauteng after their successful provincial campaign.
Mathebula believes his players are prepared for the occasion and says the squad understands the responsibility that comes with wearing the Amakhosi colours at a national tournament.
As the countdown reaches its final stages, Chiefs arrive with confidence, preparation and a clear objective: to compete, reach the final and leave Pretoria as Engen Champ of Champs champions.
With the tournament’s message firmly centred on developing the stars of tomorrow, the stage is now set for Amakhosi’s youngsters to show whether they can take another step towards becoming the next generation of diski legends.
