The qualification pathway to the 2027 Nedbank Cup round of 32 for Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League soccer teams has been released, with the competition’s provincial teams put in five groups.
Those bands are OR Tambo, Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela Bay, Alfred Nzo and Buffalo City, combined with Amathole regional teams.
The Mighty Eagles, who, with PSL team Chippa United and Highbury, were part of the province’s representatives in the Nedbank Cup last season, are absent after being relegated from the third tier.
A window for a new name from the league is on the table.
The preliminary Nedbank Cup rounds will see Sundays River, Valley Academy, Old Grey, GQ Cavaliers FC and Gqeberha United in the Nelson Mandela Bay group.
The University of Fort Hare, Buffalo City Relatives, MARU and Prides AFC will be in the Buffalo City and Amathole array.
OR Tambo will have Bush Bucks, United, Amaxesibe and Matta Milan, while Chris Hani will have Seven Stars, Komani United, Camdeboo Academy Football Development and Amavarara tussling for the honours.
For Alfred Nzo, it will be Sinenkani, Matatiele City, Bizana Pondo City and Ravens going at each other.
Out of all the teams, only three have played in the Nedbank Cup previously — Amavarara in 2023, Sinenkani in 2022, when they made headlines, advancing past Free State Stars in the round of 32, and FC Ravens, who reached the last 16 in 2024.
The qualification process is scheduled to start in October with the group stages. That will be followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and final.
The winners of the final from the ABC Motsepe League will square up with provincial Regional League winners of the Nedbank Cup prelims.
Safa Eastern Cape also recently revealed its inland and coastal streams for the coming season.
It was announced that Komani United would be part of the inland stream, instead of the coastal stream that they have been in for the past few seasons.
The reshuffle came after the new team, GQ Cavaliers from Nelson Mandela Bay, acquired Fast Eleven’s (Lusikisiki) status.
Fast Eleven plied their trade in the inland stream, but being bought by a team from a city in the coastal stream, it left a vacancy in the inland section.
For travel purposes, Safa had to pick the Chris Hani team as the region is closer to the Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo regions, where the majority of inland teams are based.
Fort Hare have bought the status of Battalions and the Amathole side will be in the inland stream.
The coastal stream will have Gqeberha United, Camdeboo Football Academy, Amavarara, GQ Cavaliers, Old Grey, Prides FC, Sundays River Valley Academy, Buffalo City, Seven Stars and MARU.
The inland stream will be made up of Ravens, Sinenkani, Bizana Pondo City, Amaxesibe, Matatiele City, Komani United, Matta Milan, Bush Bucks, United and Fort Hare FC.
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