Sports

Kaizer Chiefs Joins the Women’s Game at Last – and It’s Bigger Than Compliance

Published

3 months ago

June 27, 2025

Chiraag

Kaizer Chiefs women’s football team, Home Sweepers Ladies FC partnership, Jessica Motaung CAF leadership, women’s football South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs news, Joburg ETC

A Historic Pivot for the Glamour Boys

After decades of passionate support from fans across South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs is finally adding a new chapter to its legacy – this time, in women’s football. The club has formally stepped into the women’s game through a partnership with Springs-based Home Sweepers Ladies FC, a proud contender in the Gauteng Sasol Women’s League.

While the timing aligns with CAF Confederation Cup licensing rules, the message from Chiefs is clear: this is not just compliance. This is a commitment to representation, growth, and change.

Beyond the Rulebook: “This Is About Representation”

CAF now requires participating clubs to run women’s teams. But according to Chiefs’ marketing director, Jessica Motaung, this move wasn’t driven by red tape. It’s the natural next step in a longer journey.

“We’ve been quietly supporting Home Sweepers for years,” Motaung told SABC Sport. “Now, it’s time to step forward and show what true involvement looks like.”

Fresh from attending a CAF women’s leadership summit, Motaung said the shift is not only operational – it’s ideological. “This isn’t just about compliance – it’s about doing what’s right,” she said.

A Club with Legacy – Now Backed by a Club with Power

Home Sweepers is no ordinary grassroots outfit. It’s owned and coached by Joseph “Skheshekheshe” Mkhonza, a former Banyana Banyana head coach and a Chiefs legend in his own right. The club already plays competitively in the provincial women’s league – now, with Chiefs’ backing, it gains new muscle, visibility, and access to elite resources.

This isn’t about building a team from scratch. It’s about elevating what’s already in motion.

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Image 1: TimesLIVE

What This Means for South African Women’s Football

South Africa has never lacked talent in the women’s game. What’s been missing is consistent infrastructure, top-level investment, and the kind of brand alignment that male players often take for granted.

By choosing to partner with an existing club rather than build their own from zero, Kaizer Chiefs is making a strategic investment in continuity – in players who’ve already been training, competing, and developing under a seasoned coach.

According to Motaung, more formal announcements are expected ahead of the 2025/26 season, with plans to deepen the club’s involvement and elevate the women’s side to new heights.

A Welcome, If Delayed, Shift

Many fans have long asked why South Africa’s football giants – Chiefs, Pirates, and others – have taken so long to formally support women’s football. While Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have already claimed continental honours, others have lagged behind.

That’s what makes this move feel both overdue and perfectly timed. Public interest in women’s football is rising fast, especially following South Africa’s recent global performances. Now, with Chiefs stepping in, the landscape is finally shifting.

It’s not just a new chapter for Amakhosi – it’s a new chapter for the game.