Friendship Cup puts talented young footballers in spotlight

There is not nearly enough junior football tournaments in kasi communities and this is exactly what inspired Siyabonga Ndlebe to keep moving forward with the Friendship Cup, a youth football tournament that looks to be a breeding ground for future stars.

Hosted at Nyanga stadium, the under-12 and under-14 tournament kicked off last week and is set to conclude this coming weekend.

Launched in 2023, the annual tournament was born from Ndlebe’s passion to provide young players with a platform to showcase their skills.

He says there aren’t enough opportunities for kids in the townships to be seen by professional scouts. Ndlebe says he wanted to create a space where that visibility is possible — but also a space that’s fair and well-run.

To ensure fairness and prevent age cheating, a common issue in youth tournaments, organisers have partnered with local schools to verify participants' ages and maintain compliance with official regulations.

Besides exposure and development, the tournament offers attractive rewards. Winners receive a full set of playing kits, medals, a trophy, and a R 2000 voucher. The runners-up aren’t left behind either, taking home R1 500 and their own kit sets.

Already, the tournament has begun to produce results. Talents like Indiphile Qokela and Songo Khethelo, now part of the junior setups at Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town Spurs, respectively, were first spotted at the Friendship Cup.

Outstanding performers from this year’s edition may be invited to trials at elite academies, a potential first step in realising their professional football dreams.