Chiefs face tough opener

The opening battles of the MTN8 are done and it's quickly onto the first round of the 2025-26 Betway Premiership this weekend, when three clubs make their debuts in the South African top flight - plus Liverpool and Crystal Palace square up at Wembley; the English Championship kicks off and there are cash-added TAB Soccer 10 bets and a guaranteed R18-million Saturday jackpot if there's only one outright winner of Soccer 13!

- By Mark Gleeson

Kaizer Chiefs ended a 10-year trophy drought with a Nedbank Cup triumph in May, but that aside their last campaign turned out to be another disappointment because for the first time in their illustrious history, they finished outside the top eight for a second successive season.

Nasreddine Nabi barely held onto his job at the end of the campaign amid much speculation that he would be axed despite the cup success, but the Tunisian-born coach is back for a second season.

There have been several new signings as Chiefs look to turn around their fortunes, but a pre-season trip to the Netherlands and a clash with Ghana's Asante Kotoko at the end of last month, has hardly convinced anyone that a drastic turnaround in fortunes is imminent.