Irvin Khoza (Gallo Images)
- PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza has confirmed that Gauteng will serve as host for the league to resume in a bio-safe bubble.
- Khoza also confirmed that competitive fixtures including Nedbank Cup matches will require six weeks to complete.
- The PSL’s proposed date of 18 July is yet to be confirmed and is being discussed with SAFA in a meeting between the two institutions.
Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Irvin Khoza has confirmed that a return to competitive action will take place in Gauteng, with the province to serve as a bio-safe environment.
However, the soccer boss stressed that a proposed return date is yet to be agreed on.
Khoza confirmed that the PSL’s initially selected date of 18 July would be discussed with the South African Football Association (SAFA).
Khoza added that to complete the remaining fixtures, including Nedbank Cup matches would require a period of six weeks while clarifying that no official date was proposed by the league.
“What we have done as a practice is we have submitted the dates, which we have not made public,” Khoza said.
“We have not released a date in public and if there’s been any date in public it is not our date because as the PSL we’ve never officially announced a date.
“What I am saying is that we’ve submitted the dates to SAFA, that’s what we usually do we submit fixture dates to SAFA and what is happening is they’ve taken that information to the compliance officers for discussion.”
Khoza added that if any team were to be hit with a high number of positive Covid-19 cases they would be allowed to call up players from their MutliChoice Diski team.
All football-related activities ground to a halt on 16 March – with no live action for nearly four months – in reaction to the impending threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gauteng will now likely play host to all 32 PSL clubs, consisting of the 16 top-flight Absa Premiership teams and 16 GladAfrica Championship teams.
Training venues submitted by the PSL are: Marks Park, Wanderers, St Stithians, Fourways High, Johannesburg Stadium, Ruimsig Stadium, Auckland Park Bunting (UJ), Chris Hani Stadium (UJ), Loftus Versveld, the University of Pretoria, Pilditch Stadium, TUT Stadium, Germiston Stadium and Vosloorus Stadium.
Competitive matches will likely take place at: FNB Stadium, Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, Rand Stadium, Makhulong Stadium, Ellis Park, Bidvest Stadium, Loftus Versveld, Lucas Moripe Stadium, University of Pretoria and Tsakane Stadium.
SAFA acting CEO Tebogo Motlanthe previously strongly criticised the PSL for announcing their intention to resume the league this weekend, explaining that August was more realistic.
Motlanthe said returning to action too soon would not give teams or match officials adequate preparation time. He added that it’s unlikely the league will resume before August.
PSL teams were given the go-ahead to resume training on 24 June ahead of a return to competitive action.
