The Carling Knockout returned to the South African domestic football calendar last season and the first round gets underway for this campaign on Friday when AmaZulu host Stellenbosch FC.
We cast an eye over how the 16 DStv Premiership clubs have fared down the years, with seven having lifted the trophy before in its various guises.
AMAZULU
Best finish: Winners (1992)
The last trophy AmaZulu lifted was the Coca-Cola Cup in 1992, this very competition under a different name, when they beat Kaizer Chiefs 3-1 in the final. It is also their only final appearance in The Carling Knockout. How they would love to end 32 years of no silverware, having come close in the recent past.
CAPE TOWN CITY
Best finish: Winners (2016)
City won this competition just a few months after they were formed in the 2016/17 season as current coach Eric Tinkler, in his first spell with the team, led them to the title with a 2-1 win over SuperSport United. Thami Mkhize and Thabo Nodada are survivors from that triumph.
CHIPPA UNITED
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2017, 2019)
Chippa have found the Carling Knockout a struggle with six first round exits in the eight years they have competed. They did reach the quarterfinals in 2017 but lost to Kaizer Chiefs, and in 2019 when they were ousted by Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties.
KAIZER CHIEFS
Best finish: Winners (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009/10, 2010)
Chiefs are the most successful side in the Carling Knockout competition by a country mile, though they have not lifted the trophy since 2010. Their 13 title wins is more than three times the next best of Mamelodi Sundowns (4), and they were particularly dominant through the 1980s and early 2000s.
Next Kaizer Chiefs Match!
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) October 15, 2024
🏆#CarlingKnockout
⚽️SuperSport United v Kaizer Chiefs
đź‘•First Team
🗓️Saturday 19 October 2024
🏟Peter Mokaba Stadium
đź•ž20h00
🎟R50: Ticketpro & Spar
đź“şSuperSport 202
📢Please come early!#Amakhosi4Life #AlwaysHome pic.twitter.com/kV4rcy3fSc
LAMONTVILLE GOLDEN ARROWS
Best finish: Semifinals (2003, 2011, 2019)
Golden Arrows have reached the semifinals on three occasions but never quite managed to squeeze into a final. They were defeated in the Last 4 by Silver Stars (2003), Orlando Pirates (2011) and Mamelodi Sundowns (2019).
MAGESI FC
Best finish: Debut
Promoted Limpopo side Magesi FC will make their debut in the competition this season.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
Best finish: Winners (1990, 1999, 2015, 2019)
The second most successful side in the competition, they last won the trophy in 2019, beating Maritzburg United. That was their fourth title win from eight appearances in the decider, with Orlando Pirates, Free State Stars and Kaizer Chiefs the other teams they have beaten in the final.
MARUMO GALLANTS
Best finish: Debut
Bloemfontein-based Marumo Gallants will make their debut in the competition this season after they purchased the status of Moroka Swallows at the end of the last campaign.
ORLANDO PIRATES
Best finish: Winners (2011)
One trophy win from nine final appearances is a poor return for Orlando Pirates in a competition where they have inexplicably struggled to get over the line. Their single success came in 2011 as they beat BidVest Wits 3-1 but for the rest if has been a tale of woe. They last made the decider in 2018 but lost on penalties to Baroka FC.
POLOKWANE CITY
Best finish: Semifinals (2017)
City lost in the first round in their first four appearances in the Carling Knockout, before reaching the semifinals in 2017, their best result to date. Remarkably, all three of their ties in that year went to penalties as they won the first two before their luck ran out against Bloemfontein Celtic in the Last 4.
They have, therefore, won outright only one of their 14 games in the competition, which was in the first round last season when they stunned SuperSport United 4-1.
RICHARDS BAY
Best finish: Semifinals (2023)
Richards Bay made their debut in the competition last season created quite the impression. They defeated Moroka Swallows 2-1 in the first round and stunned Orlando Pirates on penalties in the quarterfinals, a rare set-back for Buccaneers coach Jose Riveiro in domestic cup football.
But they came unstuck in the semifinals when they lost 3-0 at home to eventual winners Stellenbosch.
ROYAL AM
Best finish: First round (2023)
Royal AM were another club to debut in the competition last season but lost 1-0 to Sekhukhune United in the first round.
SEKHUKHUNE UNITED
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2023)
Sekhukhune United made it a trio of debutants as they defeated Royal AM but then lost on penalties to finalists TS Galaxy following a 0-0 draw.
STELLENBOSCH FC
Best finish: Winners (2023)
Stellenbosch featured in the competition once before their title charge last season. They took on Orlando Pirates in the first round in 2019 and lost 1-0 away from home. When the competition returned they took it by storm, with all their matches played away from home.
They won 2-1 at Chippa United, 2-0 at Polokwane City and 3-0 at Richards Bay. That set up a final with TS Galaxy that they win on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Eyes on the prize this weekend đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/BVgXJHelIl
— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) October 16, 2024
SUPERSPORT UNITED
Best finish: Winners (2014)
SuperSport have been to four finals in the past but come away victorious only once – though it was one of the great cup deciders in South African football history as they beat Platinum Stars 3-2 in a game that had everything. They also suffered final losses to Kaizer Chiefs (2004), Jomo Cosmos (2005) and Cape Town City (2016).
Ahead of @SuperSportFC's #CarlingKnockout match against @KaizerChiefs, Lyle Lakay speaks about the game and what he’d like to achieve in the tournament. pic.twitter.com/enJP6CUSSM
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) October 15, 2024
TS GALAXY
Best finish: Runners-Up (2023)
TS Galaxy’s debut in the competition last season resulted in a final place but they were edge on penalties by Stellenbosch FC. In fact, three of their four ties went to spot-kicks.
They beat Mamelodi Sundowns via penalties after a 2-2 draw, which was followed by a spot-kick win over Sekhukhune United as they finished 0-0. Galaxy edged AmaZulu 3-2 in the semifinals, before their loss in the final to Stellenbosch.