List of South African football club name changes
Encyclopedia
South African Football clubs regularly changed their names. Former Premier Soccer League
(PSL) Chief Executive Trevor Phillips complained that regular name changes and license buy outs was turning the PSL into a "mumbo-jumbo" league. Clubs in the top-tier were sometimes bought by businessman and renamed to have the same name as a club with previous history. In May 2008, this was partially resolved when governing body FIFA stepped in to prevent clubs purchasing licenses to play in a higher league.
In 2002, the league organises opted to purchase two clubs; Free State Stars
(Qwa-Qwa) and Ria Stars
(Polokwane) and dissolve them to reduce fixture congestion. Each club was purchased for R
8million. Free State Stars were originally known as Qwa Qwa Stars. Another club known as Free State Stars F.C. has been established since. The owner of the original Free State Stars purchased a club in the lower divisions Maholosiane and renamed it to Free State Stars.
The club Dynamos sold their PSL license to AmaZulu who were formerly known as Zulu Royals in 2006. A new team known as Dyanmos F.C. was established in the wake of the sale in a lower division.
Tembisa Classic sold their PSL license to Maritzburg United
Wits University renamed their Premier Soccer League team to Bidvest Wits in time for the 2006/07 season. Bidvest, a major services, distribution and trading company sponsored the club for several seasons before purchasing naming rights to the club.
Premier Soccer League
Premier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa. The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by ABSA...
(PSL) Chief Executive Trevor Phillips complained that regular name changes and license buy outs was turning the PSL into a "mumbo-jumbo" league. Clubs in the top-tier were sometimes bought by businessman and renamed to have the same name as a club with previous history. In May 2008, this was partially resolved when governing body FIFA stepped in to prevent clubs purchasing licenses to play in a higher league.
In 2002, the league organises opted to purchase two clubs; Free State Stars
Free State Stars
Free State Stars are a football club based in Bethlehem, Free State province .-History:Originally founded in 1979 and previously known as Qwa Qwa Stars, the club's franchise was sold to the Premier Soccer League in 2002....
(Qwa-Qwa) and Ria Stars
Ria Stars
rightRia Stars were a South African football club from Pietersburg. The club was owned by businesswoman Ria Ledwaba and nicknamed Manyora ....
(Polokwane) and dissolve them to reduce fixture congestion. Each club was purchased for R
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
8million. Free State Stars were originally known as Qwa Qwa Stars. Another club known as Free State Stars F.C. has been established since. The owner of the original Free State Stars purchased a club in the lower divisions Maholosiane and renamed it to Free State Stars.
The club Dynamos sold their PSL license to AmaZulu who were formerly known as Zulu Royals in 2006. A new team known as Dyanmos F.C. was established in the wake of the sale in a lower division.
Tembisa Classic sold their PSL license to Maritzburg United
Maritzburg United
Maritzburg United is a South African football club based in the city of Pietermaritzburg that currently competes in the Premier Soccer League.-Notable former coaches: Gordon Igesund Ernst Middendorp Trott Moloto Kosta Papic Boebie Solomons...
Wits University renamed their Premier Soccer League team to Bidvest Wits in time for the 2006/07 season. Bidvest, a major services, distribution and trading company sponsored the club for several seasons before purchasing naming rights to the club.
| Original Club Name | New Club Name | Date Changed | Reason for change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khakhu Fast XI | Mapate Silver Stars | 1998 | |
| Mapate Silver Stars | HP Silver Stars | 2000 | Larry Brookstone, the owner of Highlands Park, bought the majority of shares. Despite the new ownership, the club continued to play at Peter Mokaba Stadium Peter Mokaba Stadium The Peter Mokaba Stadium is a football stadium in Polokwane , South Africa, that was used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It has a capacity of 41,733. and was named after Peter Mokaba, a former leader of the ANC Youth League... in Polokwane Polokwane Polokwane, meaning "Place of Safety",is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name, Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. The population... . |
| HP Silver Stars | Silver Stars | 200x | Name was shortened, when the Highlands Park junior team stopped as a nursery team for the club. |
| Silver Stars | Platinum Stars | May 2007 | Royal Bafokeng Nation Royal Bafokeng Nation The Royal Bafokeng Nation is the ethnic homeland of the Bafokeng people, a Setswana-speaking traditional community. The monarchy covers in the North West Province of South Africa. The administrative capital is Phokeng, near Rustenburg. "Bafokeng" is used to refer to both the tribal grouping as... (RBN) entered as the clubs sponsor in 2006 and relocated the team to play at Royal Bafokeng Stadium Royal Bafokeng Stadium The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is a football, rugby and athletics stadium in Phokeng near Rustenburg, South Africa It was built and is managed by the Royal Bafokeng Nation.. It is used as the home stadium for Premier Soccer League club Platinum Stars... in Phokeng Phokeng Phokeng is a town in the North West province of South Africa. It is the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation and lies near Rustenburg.-Etymology:Phokeng gained its name from the Setswana word for dew, Phoka, hence Place of dew... . Club name also changed, when RBN bought 51% of the shares in May 2007. |
| Cape Town Spurs & Seven Stars | Ajax Cape Town | 1999 | Result of Merger after Ajax Amsterdam buy out |
| University of Port Elizabeth-FCK (UPE-FCK) | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University-FCK (NMMU-FCK) | 2004 | University changed name |
| Wits University | Bidvest Wits | 2006 | |
| Qwa-Qwa Stars | Free State Stars | 1999 | |
| Amazulu | Zulu Royals | 2003 | |
| Basotho Tigers | North West Tigers | 2004 | |
| PJ Stars | M Tigers | 2007 | |
| Hellenic | Benoni Premier United, | 2005 | |
| Petersburg Pillars | City Pillars | 2005 | |
| Uthukela | Nathi Lions; | 2005 | |
| Tembisa Classic | Maritzburg United | 2005 | |
| Manning Rangers | Fidentia Rangers | 2006 | |
| Mabopane Young Masters | FC AK | 2006 | |
| Vaso da Gama | FC Cape Town | 2007 | |
| Benoni Premier United | Thanda Royal Zulu | 10 October 2007 | |
| City Pillars | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 2007 | |
| Fidentia Rangers | Ikapa Sporting | 2008 |