The Nedbank Cup Last 32 has thrown up plenty of shock results in the past, as the competition’s reputation for David v Goliath clashes continues to provide drama and upsets.
There will be the chance for that again this year, as several topflight teams take on lower-league opponents, hoping not to add their names to the long list of giants slain in this round.
Eight of the 32 clubs will be making their debut in 2026 – Army Rockets FC, SSU M-17 FC, Luthuli Brigades and FC Cardinals from the SAFA structures; Motsepe Foundation Championship clubs Highbury FC, Upington City and Gomora United; and Siwelele from the Betway Premiership.
The remainder all have a history in the Last 32 since Nedbank took over sponsorship in 2008 and, while some have generally breezed through to the next stage, for others it has been a sorry tale.
The 2021 winners Marumo Gallants are the only club to have appeared more than once at this stage and have a 100 per cent record, having advanced on all five occasions.
The only other clubs yet to face defeat are Casric Stars, who beat Mkhambathi 4-0 in their only previous Last 32 tie in 2023, and the latest incarnation of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, who drew 1-1 with Lamontville Golden Arrows in 2022 but advanced on penalties.
Four-time winners Orlando Pirates have been beaten outright only once in the Last 32 across their previous 18 appearances. That came in their shock 4-1 loss to third-tier Maluti FET College in 2013, one of the biggest upsets in South African football history.
Mamelodi Sundowns have won 16 of their 18 Last 32 clashes and have never been involved in a draw that went to penalties. Their other two games were defeats to Pirates in 2011 and Chippa United in 2019.
Defending champions Kaizer Chiefs have advanced in 14 of their 18 ties, losing on penalties to Milford in 2024 in their only drawn match. Their defeats have come against Pirates (0-2) in 2016, second-tier Richards Bay (1-2) in 2021 and TS Galaxy (0-1) in 2022.
That means they have exited in the Last 32 in three of the last five years, though they can point to their trophy win in 2025 as a change in fortune.
AmaZulu have a patchy record, with seven wins and six defeats to go with five draws. They have won three of those five penalty shoot-outs.
The 2019 champions TS Galaxy have also been strong, with five wins from seven ties and a single defeat, though their draw with TS Sporting in 2021 ended in a shoot-out defeat as well.
LAST 32 RECORDS OF THE 2026 NEDBANK CUP TEAMS
AMAZULU
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 14-0 vs Young Ones, 2008
Biggest defeat: 1-4 vs Bloemfontein Celtic, 2020
Record: P18 W7 D5 L6 GF44 GA24
CASRIC STARS
Division: Motsepe Foundation Championship
Biggest victory: 4-0 vs Mkhambathi, 2023
Biggest defeat: -
Record: P1 W1 D0 L0 GF4 GA0
CHIPPA UNITED
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs TS Galaxy, 2020
Biggest defeat: 0-2 vs University of Pretoria, 2022
Record: P13 W6 D3 L4 GF21 GA17
CR VASCO DA GAMA
Division: Western Cape ABC Motsepe League
Biggest victory: 4-1 vs Mbombela United, 2023
Biggest defeat: 0-7 vs TS Galaxy, 2025
Record: P6 W4 D0 L2 GF14 GA19 DURBAN CITY
Division: Motsepe Foundation Championship
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs Paarl United, 2024
Biggest defeat: 0-3 vs Moroka Swallows, 2011
Record: P17 W8 D3 L6 GF26 GA24
HUNGRY LIONS
Division: Motsepe Foundation Championship
Biggest victory: 1-0 vs Jomo Cosmos, 2020; 1-0 vs JDR Stars, 2024
Biggest defeat: 1-3 vs Mpheni Home Defenders, 2025
Record: P3 W2 D0 L1 GF3 GA3
JACKSA SPEARS
Division: Northern Cape ABC Motsepe League
Biggest victory: -
Biggest defeat: 0-3 vs African Warriors, 2013
Record: P1 W0 D0 L1 GF0 GA3
KAIZER CHIEFS
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 4-0 vs Edu Sports, 2015, 4-0 vs Free Agents, 2025
Biggest defeat: 0-2 vs Orlando Pirates, 2016
Record: P18 W14 D1 L3 GF34 GA8
LAMONTVILLE GOLDEN ARROWS
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 5-0 vs NW Shining Stars, 2012
Biggest defeat: 0-3 vs Kaizer Chiefs, 2018
Record: P18 W8 D4 L6 GF30 GA22
LERUMO LIONS
Division: Motsepe Foundation Championship
Biggest victory: -
Biggest defeat: 0-2 vs Durban City, 2025
Record: P1 W0 D0 L1 GF0 GA2
MAGESI FC
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 2-1 vs EC Bees, 2016
Biggest defeat: 0-2 vs Jomo Cosmos, 2013; 1-3 vs Marumo Gallants, 2023; 0-2 vs SuperSport United, 2025
Record: P4 W1 D0 L3 GF3 GA8
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 24-0 vs Powerlines FC, 2012
Biggest defeat: 1-2 vs Chippa United, 2019; 0-1 vs Orlando Pirates, 2011
Record: P18 W16 D0 L2 GF63 GA13
MARUMO GALLANTS
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 2-0 vs Santos, 2022; 3-1 vs Magesi FC, 2023
Biggest defeat: -
Record: P5 W5 D0 L0 GF9 GA2
MILFORD FC
Division: Motsepe Foundation Championship
Biggest victory: -
Biggest defeat: 1-2 vs Lamontville Golden Arrows, 2016
Record: P2 W0 D1 L1 GF1 GA2
MKHAMBATHI
Division: KwaZulu-Natal ABC Motsepe League
Biggest victory: -
Biggest defeat: 0-4 vs Casric Stars, 2023
Record: P1 W0 D0 L1 GF0 GA4
ORBIT COLLEGE
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: -
Biggest defeat: 1-3 vs Steenburg United, 2018
Record: P1 W0 D0 L1 GF1 GA3
ORLANDO PIRATES
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 6-0 vs Crystal Lake, 2024
Biggest defeat: 1-4 vs Maluti FET College, 2013
Record: P18 W13 D4 L1 GF37 GA13
POLOKWANE CITY
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 3-1 vs African All Stars, 2017
Biggest defeat: 1-4 vs SuperSport United, 2015
Record: P13 W5 D1 L7 GF17 GA18
RICHARDS BAY
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 5-0 vs Young Tigers, 2018
Biggest defeat: 0-4 vs Mamelodi Sundowns, 2022
Record: P7 W4 D0 L3 GF15 GA14
SEKHUKHUNE UNITED
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 6-0 vs Liver Brothers, 2023
Biggest defeat: 1-2 vs Maritzburg United, 2021
Record: P5 W2 D2 L1 GF11 GA4
STELLENBOSCH FC
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs Moroka Swallows, 2023
Biggest defeat: 0-3 vs Kaizer Chiefs, 2017
Record: P8 W3 D2 L3 GF11 GA11
TS GALAXY
Division: Betway Premiership
Biggest victory: 7-0 vs CR Vasco da Gama, 2025
Biggest defeat: 0-3 vs Chippa United, 2020
Record: P7 W5 D1 L1 GF15 GA5
TSHAKHUMA TSHA MADZIVHANDILA
Division: Limpopo ABC Motsepe League
Biggest victory: -
Biggest defeat: -
Record: P1 W0 D1 L0 GF1 GA1
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
Division: Motsepe Foundation Championship
Biggest victory: 5-0 vs Polokwane City Rovers, 2016
Biggest defeat: 0-1 vs Santos, 2012; 0-1 vs SuperSport United, 2014; 1-2 vs JDR Stars, 2021
Record: P10 W6 D1 L3 GF20 GA8