The Hot Summer of Touch season exploded into action on Sunday 7 December, with 43 teams registering for the season opener on a spectacular, yet physically demanding, Camps Bay day.
The scorching sun and soft sand quickly became a major factor, levelling the playing field and demanding peak fitness from all competitors.
The action was scintillating, confirming that the 2026 season will be as competitive as ever across all divisions. The premier competition, the series title, lived up to the hype, featuring the reigning champions and a strong underdog contender.
Throughout the morning former champions Liberty Webb Touch, Most Wanted and UD Targo established themselves as the teams to watch. The semi-finals provided the first major drama, with UD Targo narrowly defeating Most Wanted in a closely contested match to reach the final.
In the final, they faced the formidable Liberty Webb Touch in a tight, intense affair that had fans on the edge of their seats.
The deadlock was finally broken in a dramatic sudden death period, with UD Targo sealing their first series title with an impressive 3-2 victory.
The tournament also saw some early major upsets, with former winners Score Forward Foundation and Unknown Warriors, both fielding young and inexperienced squads, eliminated earlier than expected. Newcomers Struisbaai Warriors had a brilliant debut, reaching a semi-final in the premier division.
The Challenger Series was widely regarded as one of the strongest fields ever assembled. It was eventually won by the BT Blizzards, who overcame the Last Kings to secure their maiden Challenger title with a close final score of 2-1. Other winners showcased the depth of talent across the age and gender divisions:
Open Section: Scorpions defeated the Jokers 3-0.
Junior Section: Struisbaai Warriors secured the title over the Blizzards Jnr, 3-2.
Ladies Title: The Amazing Galaxy Warriors dominated, beating Blew me away! 5-0.
The fast-paced action now moves to the soft sand of Kleinmond this Sunday (14 December), to be quickly followed by the “big one” at Strand Beach on Tuesday 16 December.
๏ฎ Teams are urged to pre-register online at www.hotsummeroftouch.co.za or register at the venue on the day from 07:15 to 08:45. For further information call or send a WhatsApp message to 065 362 8241.
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