Varsity Football (South Africa)

Varsity Football
Founded2013; 11 years ago (2013)
RegionSouth Africa
Number of teams8
Current championsUP Tuks (2nd title) (men)
TUT (1st title) (women)
Most successful team(s)UP Tuks (2 titles) (men)
TUT and UJ (1 title) (women)
Websitevarsitysportssa.com/football

Varsity Football is a South African university football competition. It is one of seven sports in the Varsity Sports series. The annual tournament involves the top football playing universities in the country, which belong to the University Sports Company. The tournament is run by Varsity Sports South Africa, and is endorsed by the South African Football Association and University Sport South Africa.[1]

The 2022 champions of the men's competition are TUT and UJ for the women's competition.

TUT will face off against the UJ in the 2023 Men’s Varsity Football title on Thursday, 28 September, in Soweto.[2]

History

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The Varsity Cup tournament was founded in 2008, featuring the rugby teams of eight universities. Varsity Sports was expanded in 2012 to include other sporting codes.[3] University Sport South Africa discussed the Varsity Football proposal at its 2012 annual general meeting. The idea was initially rejected, as it was seen to split the member institutions.[4] However, it was later accepted, and 2013 was the inaugural season of Varsity Football, with an 8 team men's tournament.[5] A four-team women's tournament is also being played.[6] Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) women's won six (6) times while Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)Man's won four (times) and current champions for 2024 is University of Western Cape both Males and Females.

Participating teams

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As of 2014, 10 different teams have competed in the men's Varsity Football tournament:

UCT is the oldest of the competing universities
Tuks are the 2014 men's Varsity Football champions
Varsity Football
Team Name University Stadium
Limpopo University of Limpopo Oscar Mphetha Stadium
NMMU Madibaz Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University NMMU Stadium
NWU Mafikeng North-West University Mafikeng Sports Fields
TUT Tshwane University of Technology TUT Stadium
UCT Ikey Warriors University of Cape Town The Green Mile
UFS Kovsies University of the Free State Shimla Park
UJ University of Johannesburg UJ Stadium
UP-Tuks University of Pretoria Tuks Stadium
UWC University of the Western Cape UWC Sport Stadium
Wits University of the Witwatersrand Bidvest Stadium

Five different teams have competed in the women's Varsity Football tournament as of 2014:

Varsity Football
Team Name University Stadium
Limpopo University of Limpopo Oscar Mphetha Stadium
TUT Tshwane University of Technology TUT Stadium
UP-Tuks University of Pretoria Tuks Stadium
UJ University of Johannesburg UJ Stadium
UWC University of the Western Cape UWC Sport Stadium

Qualification

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For both the men's and women's tournaments, qualification is based on the previous season's University Sports South Africa Football National Club Championships, held annually in December. In order to qualify, men's teams need to be one of the eight highest placed teams associated with Varsity Sports. Women's teams needed to be one of the semi-finalists, and also be associated with Varsity Sports.

Teams not associated with the University Sports Company are not eligible for the competition. UKZN Pietermaritzburg for example, a losing semi-finalist at the 2012 men's University Sports South Africa Football National Club Championships, were ineligible, not being linked to Varsity Sports. The next highest placed teams at the University Sports South Africa Football National Club Championships, that are associated with Varsity Sports, will take the places of the ineligible teams.

Format

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The tournament begins with a round robin stage, in which all teams play each other once. After the round robin stage, the top 4 teams advance to the knockout stage. The teams ranked 1 and 2 host the semi-finals, against the teams ranked 4 and 3 respectively. The winners advance to the final, to be hosted by the highest ranked finalist. The league scoring system follows a standard scoring system and awards 3 points for a win, and 1 point for a draw. Teams are separated first on points, and then on goal difference.

The women's tournament starts at the semi-final stage.

All matches are played on Monday evenings.

Teams' performances

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Team 2013 2014
UP-Tuks W W
NWU-Mafikeng SF SF
NMMU Madibaz RU 6th
UFS Kovsies 5th SF
UWC 6th 5th
UCT Ikey Warriors 8th 8th
UJ DNQ RU
TUT SF DNQ
Wits 7th DNQ
Limpopo DNQ 7th

Notes:

  •   W = Winner;   RU = Runner-up;   SF = Semi-finalist; DNQ = Did not qualify

Notable players

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Players who have since represented Bafana Bafana.

Sponsors

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The tournament is sponsored by:

References

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  1. ^ "Football to get Varsity passion". Varsity Sports SA. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Siphosihle Nkambule Sends UJ into the Varsity Football 2023 final". 45min football. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  3. ^ "More sporting codes to boost varsity sports". SABC. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Minutes of the USSA Football Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, on 06th– December – 2013" (PDF). University Sport South Africa. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Explosive Mondays back with Varsity Football". Varsity Sports SA. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Ladies' chance to shine". Varsity Sports SA. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
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