It was a campaign played out under a new banner too, with SportPesa joining as headline partner and helping put Varsity Football in front of a bigger audience than ever.
Group stages
UJ were the standout side of the round-robin, going unbeaten across all seven rounds (five wins, two draws) to finish top of the log. NWU finished third with four wins, two draws and a single loss, sealed by a 3-0 win over Wits.
TUT were inconsistent, three wins, two draws and two losses, but a shock 2-1 win over UFS in the final round secured them fourth place and the last semi-final spot.
UFS won four of their seven matches, drawing one and losing two, including a slow start against UP-Tuks before finding their form. Wits, back after their absence, started strongly but faded to finish with two wins, two draws and three losses.
UP-Tuks picked up four draws across the campaign, finishing too late for the top four despite wins over CUT and DUT. CUT managed just one win all season, while DUT finished bottom, winless with a single point.
Semi-finals
TUT’s momentum carried into the semi-final, where a disciplined 1-0 win ended UJ’s unbeaten run and sent the four-time champions through to the final.
UFS needed penalties to see off NWU, winning a tense shootout 4-3 to earn a home final at Shimla Park.
Final
Neither side could find a breakthrough in the final itself, with 90 minutes producing a goalless draw. UFS held their composure in the shootout to win 5-4, sealing a maiden Varsity Football title in front of their own supporters.
Individual honours
NWU’s Aphelele Sibisi was named FNB Player of the Tournament, teammate Ethan Mokwena claimed the Cashbuild Golden Glove, and UJ’s Keletso Sekhwela finished with the Suzuki Golden Boot.
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Photo: Asem Engage – Hannes Naude
