The days of Royal AM in the Hollywoodbets Super League have come to an end after they were confirmed as the second team to suffer relegation in the 2025 Hollywoodbets Super League season, with three games to conclude the campaign.
They follow in the footsteps of their male side that used to campaign in the PSL league but have since been expelled.
Royal AM is the third team in the KwaZulu Natal province to drop down a level in two seasons – a few weeks ago Durban Ladies suffered the same fate while last year newcomers Lindelani Ladies ceased to play in the South African elite women’s league after they were relegated.
New kids on the block, Ezemvelo Ladies, is the only team remaining in the Hollywoodbets Super League from the province and are currently cruising in a midtable position – far away from the relegation zone.
Royal AM were previously known as Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies before relocating to Pietermaritzburg and changing their name at the commencement of the 2023 season. They had a good run with their most impressive finish recorded at the start of the South African Women’s National League season in 2019/2020.
History of Royal AM/Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies:
2019/2020:
- 3rd (Bloem Celtic)
2021:
- 6th (Bloem Celtic)
2022:
- 6th (Bloem Celtic)
2023:
- 5th (Royal AM)
2024:
- 7th (Royal AM)
2025:
- RELEGATED
Royal AM’s troubles started earlier this year when they lost a lot of key players and had to honour fixtures with makeshift squads – and this caught up with them as they went on a seven-match losing streak, including 5-0 and 8-0 drubbings by TS Galaxy Queens and reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies respectively.
Up to this point, Royal AM have only managed to collect 13 points in 27 matches – this was after three victories, four draws and 20 defeats.
The loss to the University of Johannesburg this past weekend was the last straw as they now ran out of points to catch 14th-placed First Touch Ladies, who are on 23 already.
With three games remaining, Royal AM can only get to 22.
The writing was always on the wall when they failed to win a single match in seven outings, registering their first win in the eighth fixture – a 3-2 triumph over the University of Pretoria (Tuks) on Sunday, 11 May. They were also awarded three points against Sundowns Ladies when the latter arrived late for a match, while their third victory was against Richmond United – registered in August (1-0).
Royal AM have lost all nine of their previous matches,
Hollywoodbets Super League Teams by Province:
Free State:
- N/A
North West:
- N/A
Mpumalanga:
- TS Galaxy Queens
Northern Cape:
- Richmond United Ladies
Western Cape:
- UWC, UCT
Limpopo:
- Copperbelt Ladies, First Touch Ladies
Eastern Cape:
- City Lads Ladies, University of Fort Hare
KwaZulu Natal:
- Ezemvelo Ladies (Durban Ladies & Royal AM both relegated)
Gauteng:
- JVW, Tuks, TUT, UJ, Sundowns Ladies
While KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape are all left with one team each in the Hollywoodbets Super League, the provinces of the Free State and North West are yet to have representation in the elite women’s league since the demise of the likes of Golden Ladies (NW) and Tsunami Queens (FS).
The two teams to take Durban Ladies and Royal AM’s spots will be determined at the Sasol League National Play-offs set to be played next month.
Royal AM 2025 Hollywoodbets Super League results:
| DATE | TEAM A | RESULTS | TEAM B | OUTCOME |
| Sat, 12 April | TS Galaxy Queens | 5 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Wed, 16 April | Royal AM | 1 – 2 | First Touch Ladies | L |
| Sat, 19 April | Royal AM | 1 – 2 | Copperbelt Ladies | L |
| Wed, 23 April | Sundowns Ladies | 8 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Sat, 26 Apil | Royal AM | 1 – 3 | JVW | L |
| Wed, 30 April | Univ. of Johannesburg | 3 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Sun, 4 May | Royal AM | 6 – 0 | UWC | L |
| Sun, 11 May | Univ. of Pretoria | 2 – 3 | Royal AM | W |
| Sat, 17 May | Royal AM | 0 – 0 | Durban Ladies | D |
| Sat, 24 May | Univ. of Cape Town | 0 – 0 | Royal AM | D |
| Sat, 31 May | Royal AM | 0 – 1 | Ezemvelo | L |
| Sat, 7 June | Durban Ladies | 2 – 0 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| Sat, 14 June | City Lads | 4 – 3 | Royal AM | L |
| Sat, 21 June | Royal AM | 0 – 0 | Univ. of Fort Hare | D |
| Sun, 20 July | Royal AM | 0 – 0 | City Lads | D |
| Sat, 26 July | Richmond United | 3 – 2 | Royal AM | L |
| Sat, 2 Aug | First Touch Ladies | 1 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Wed, 6 Aug | Royal AM | 1 – 0 | Richmond United | W |
| Sun, 10 Aug | TUT Ladies | 5 – 2 | Royal AM | L |
| Sat, 16 Aug | Royal AM | 1 – 3 | TS Galaxy | L |
| Sat, 23 Aug | Copperbelt Ladies | 4 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Sun, 31 Aug | JVW | 5 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Wed, 24 Sep | Durban Ladies | 4 – 2 | Royal AM | L |
| Sun, 28 Sep | Royal AM | 0 – 1 | Univ. of Cape Town | L |
| Sun, 5 Oct | Ezemvelo Ladies | 3 – 0 | Royal AM | L |
| Sat, 18 Oct | Univ. of Western Cape | 4 -0 | Royal AM | L |
| Sat, 25 Oct | Royal AM | 1 – 2 | Univ. of JHB | L |
| Sun, 2 Nov | Royal AM | ???? | Univ. of Pretoria | TBC |
Royal AM host Tuks this weekend in one of their last remaining three matches.
The clash takes place on Sunday, 2 November at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg with a 1pm kickoff.
By Matlhomola Morake
