After a longer than usual break, the Sasol League returns – and will kick off alongside the Hollywoodbets Super League on Saturday, 23 April 2022.
Established in 2009 when they got into a partnership with the South African Football Association (SAFA), the aim of the league was to grow and develop women’s football across all nine provinces of South Africa.
They have managed to do that and more, producing quality players for all women’s national teams – U17, U20 and Banyana Banyana.
Through their drive, the Sasol League saw South Africa qualify for several high end football tournaments: the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, the 2010 and 2018 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, as well as the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup with Banyana Banyana.
The partnership ensured the league serve as a platform for female footballers to showcase their skills.
With the 2022 campaign kicking off, it follows years of giving the players the opportunity to participate in regular competitive football.
There are currently 16 teams in each province – with approximately 3800 players registered to participate in the 2022 Sasol League.
The season ends with the Sasol League National Championships, which are rotated annually around the country – this is where the nine provincial winners battle it out for the position of being crowned the best of the best.
The top two are then promoted to the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Western Cape Vasco da Gama and City Lads Ladies are the latest to earn promotion to the elite women’s league competition – with the former crowned the 2021 national champions, following hot on the heels of 2019 champions, JVW FC.
Vasco defeated City Lads 4-3 in the final played at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, near Durban to earn themselves R200 000 in prize money, while the runners up pocketed half of that.
The competition was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Previous national champions include inaugural winners the Detroit Ladies from Mpumalanga, record winners Gauteng’s Palace Super Falcons, who lifted the trophy three times – 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Reigning Hollywoodbets Super League champions, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies, Cape Town Roses Ladies and the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) have all had their names engraved on the trophy.
“We are truly excited about the resumption of the Sasol League, a platform that allows women footballers from all the provinces to show off their capabilities, by participating in regular competitive football throughout the year, to broaden the talent pool for the women’s national teams,” said Nozipho Mbatha, Senior Manager: Group Brand & Sponsorships at Sasol on SAFA.net
Sasol League National Championship winners: 2009 – 2021
- 2021: Vasco da Gama (Western Cape)
- 2020: Cancelled due to Covid 19 pandemic
- 2019: JVW FC (Gauteng)
- 2018: TUT Ladies (Gauteng)
- 2017: Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies (Free State)
- 2016: Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies (Free State)
- 2015: Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (Gauteng)
- 2014: Cape Town Roses Ladies (Cape Town)
- 2013: Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (Gauteng)
- 2012: Palace Super Falcons (Gauteng)
- 2011: Palace Super Falcons (Gauteng)
- 2010: Palace Super Falcons (Gauteng)
- 2009: Detroit Ladies (Mpumalanga)
To view fixtures and clubs associated with each province log on to https://mysafa.net or www.safa.net
By Matlhomola Morake
