Top sporting events in South Africa

The list below outlines the main sporting genres and their top sporting events in South Africa that one can count on year after year to breathe a competitive spirit into the air.

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Sporting Events in South Africa	Event Details
Soccer
Telkom Knockout Cup	A total of sixteen Premier Soccer League teams participate in the Telkom Knockout Cup. It is played on a knockout basis and the total prize money amounts to R14.2 million.
Premier Soccer League	This is the country’s top soccer tournament and features the top sixteen clubs in South Africa. It has changed people’s perceptions of South African soccer as most of the games are covered by the media. This has been the stepping stone for players wanting to play internationally.
First Division	Below the Premier Soccer League is the first division that features sixteen clubs. When the season has finished, the winner earns a promotional spot in the Premier Soccer League.
Cricket
The SuperSport Series	The SuperSport Series is an inter-provincial cricket tournament that lasts four days. It is entered by six teams including the Dolphins, the Cobras, the Warriors, the Lions, the Titans and the Knights. This tournament started with the goal of improving the level of cricket in South Africa by connecting local and international cricket. A final is played to decide the winner.
The MTN Domestic Championship	This tournament allows teams to bat for forty-five overs per side and a winner is decided on the number of runs they score. If it is a tie, the number of wickets will be taken into consideration.
T20 Challenge	Every year the T20 Challenge sees South Africa’s domestic cricket teams battle it out. Participating teams include the Bizhub Highveld Lions, the Chevrolet Warriors, the Chevrolet Knights, the Sunfoil Dolphins, the Nashua Titans and the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras. The tournament takes place between February and April.
Rugby
Currie Cup	This is South Africa’s top domestic rugby tournament. The Currie Cup takes place from July until October. A total of fourteen teams are entered with eight in the Premier Division and six in First Division. This tournament includes the biggest rivalry in South African rugby; Blue Bulls and Western Province.
Vodacom Cup	This tournament is played at the same time as the international tournament, the Super 15, and is entered by sixteen teams with eight in the north, including one team from Namibia and eight from the south, including one team from Argentina. This is the platform for young talented players that want to play international rugby. This tournament is put in two different sections namely north and south.
Varsity Cup	The Varsity Cup is an annual rugby tournament that includes eight of South Africa’s top universities. The teams that participate include the Tuks, Maties, UJ, NWU-Pukke, NMMU, Shimlas, Ikeys and Wits. The tournament takes place between February and April.
Golf
Sunshine Tour	This tournament attracts some of the world’s top golfers with its excellent weather, golf courses and gifted players.
The Nedbank Challenge	This is the first tournament that offers a first prize of more than R7 million and is held at Sun City.
Horse Riding
Summer Cup	Almost as old as Johannesburg itself, the Summer Cup is held in Turffontein, Johannesburg. The annual race is held in December and sees a distance of 10 furlongs or 2000 m run at the Turffontein Racecourse.
The Vodacom Durban July	Labeled as Africa’s greatest horseracing event, the Vodacom Durban July promises not to disappoint. Since the event’s birth in 1897, floods of eager spectators flock to the grounds to enjoy a day of horse racing, betting and fashion.
The J&B Met	This met is held in Cape Town and is one of the country’s most glamorous horseracing events.

Sporting Events
in South Africa

Event Details

Soccer

Telkom Knockout Cup

A total of sixteen Premier Soccer League teams participate in the Telkom Knockout Cup. It is played on a knockout basis and the total prize money amounts to R14.2 million.

Premier Soccer League

This is the country’s top soccer tournament and features the top sixteen clubs in South Africa. It has changed people’s perceptions of South African soccer as most of the games are covered by the media. This has been the stepping stone for players wanting to play internationally.

First Division

Below the Premier Soccer League is the first division that features sixteen clubs. When the season has finished, the winner earns a promotional spot in the Premier Soccer League.

Cricket

The SuperSport Series

The SuperSport Series is an inter-provincial cricket tournament that lasts four days. It is entered by six teams including the Dolphins, the Cobras, the Warriors, the Lions, the Titans and the Knights. This
tournament started with the goal of improving the level of cricket in South Africa by connecting local and international cricket. A final is played to decide the winner.

The MTN Domestic Championship

This tournament allows teams to bat for forty-five overs per side and a winner is decided on the number of runs they score. If it is a tie, the number of wickets will be taken into consideration.

T20 Challenge

Every year the T20 Challenge sees South Africa’s domestic cricket teams battle it out. Participating teams include the Bizhub Highveld Lions, the Chevrolet Warriors, the Chevrolet Knights, the Sunfoil Dolphins, the Nashua Titans and the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras. The tournament takes place between February and April.

Rugby

Currie Cup

This is South Africa’s top domestic rugby tournament. The Currie Cup takes place from July until October. A total of fourteen teams are entered with eight in the Premier Division and six in First Division. This tournament includes the biggest rivalry in South African rugby; Blue Bulls and Western Province.

Vodacom Cup

This tournament is played at the same time as the international tournament, the Super 15, and is entered by sixteen teams with eight in the north, including one team from Namibia and eight from the south, including one team from Argentina. This is the platform for young talented players that want to play international rugby. This tournament is put in two different sections namely north and south.

Varsity Cup

The Varsity Cup is an annual rugby tournament that includes eight of South Africa’s top universities. The teams that participate include the Tuks, Maties, UJ, NWU-Pukke, NMMU, Shimlas, Ikeys and Wits. The tournament takes place between February and April.

Golf

Sunshine Tour

This tournament attracts some of the world’s top golfers with its excellent weather, golf courses and gifted players.

The Nedbank Challenge

This is the first tournament that offers a first prize of more than R7 million and is held at Sun City.

Horse Riding

Summer Cup

Almost as old as Johannesburg itself, the Summer Cup is held in Turffontein, Johannesburg. The annual race is held in December and sees a distance of 10 furlongs or 2000 m run at the Turffontein Racecourse.

The Vodacom Durban July

Labeled as Africa’s greatest horseracing event, the Vodacom Durban July promises not to disappoint. Since the event’s birth in 1897, floods of eager spectators flock to the grounds to enjoy a day of horse racing, betting and fashion.

The J&B Met

This met is held in Cape Town and is one of the country’s most glamorous horseracing events.

South Africa is home to an array of sporting events throughout the year, drawing both locals and travelers to enjoy the nail-biting, festive atmosphere these sporting events promise.

Guest post author:

Zaylin Smith is an eternal optimist with a bubbly personality and a flair for sports and writing. Her love for nature sees Zaylin spending her days outside, kicking her shoes off and enjoying the sand between her toes. With her heart in the game of rugby, you’ll find her yelling at the field every opportunity that she has.