The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has confirmed the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein as the venue to host this year’s Carling Knockout Cup final on Saturday, 23 November. This was announced after the semifinal event conducted yesterday – Sunday, 3 November – at the multi-purpose Dr RP Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein.
It was unveiled immediately after the quarterfinal fixture in which the Marumo Gallants narrowly beat the defending champions, Stellenbosch FC, 1 – 0. The stadium becomes the second venue to host the competition’s final, with the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban having staged last season’s final. The 45-seater stadium in the Free State capital will see South Africa’s football giants sweat blood for glory in the innovative competition. The two clubs to face off in the Carling Knockout Cup final will be decided during the semifinals taking place this weekend of 9 and 10 November.
The Toyota Stadium is also earmarked to stage the eagerly-awaited semifinal between the Bahlabane ba Ntwa and Mamelodi Sundowns. The two sides were pitted against each other, while the rookie Magesi FC will face Richards Bay in the other semifinal elsewhere in KwaZulu-Natal.
The recent football cup final played at the Toyota Stadium was the 8 May 2021 Nedbank Cup final between Chippa United and the now defunct Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila. This face-off saw the latter team lift the trophy after a narrow 1 – 0 win against Chippa.
The other two previous cup finals were the June 2004 Absa Cup between defunct giants Moroka Swallows and Manning Rangers, and the December 2004 Coca-Cola Cup fixture between SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs. Swallows lifted the trophy after beating the Rangers 3 – 1, while Amakhosi won 1 – 0.
