The Nedbank Cup quarterfinal draw has produced intriguing ties that provide the chance for upsets, but also some plum home ties for the remaining favourites in the competition.
With Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns already out of the competition, this year provides an open field and a chance for some rare silverware for several clubs.
AmaZulu will be favourites to progress against second-tier Casric Stars, but the visitors will be no pushovers on the back of ousting Orlando Pirates in the last round, and the fact they have yet to concede a goal in this year’s competition.
For Stars, it is yet another away day in the Nedbank Cup. This will be their fifth tie in the competition and every one has been on the road.
AmaZulu have famously appeared in six finals of the Nedbank Cup down the years, the last in 2010, and have lost all of them.
Sekhukhune United have a rare home game in the Nedbank Cup, with only four of their last 14 played in front of their own fans, and none of their last four.
They face second-tier leaders Milford FC for the second year in a row, having won 2-1 away in the Last 16 in 2025. Linda Mntambo scored both goals that day.
Milford will fancy an upset against Eric Tinkler’s side, and Sekhukhune have lost to lower-league opposition in the past. They were ousted on penalties by Platinum City Rovers in the Last 32 in 2022, but a year later were in the final, where they lost to Pirates.
TS Galaxy are the only former champions remaining in the competition this year after their 2019 success, when they were still a second-tier outfit and defeated Kaizer Chiefs in the decider in Durban.
They ousted Sundowns in the last round with a 2-0 home win, and now face a team at the opposite end of the South African football spectrum in third-tier Jacksa Spears.
Spears have beaten fellow amateur teams in the first two rounds, and this will be a huge step up in opposition for them.
The Quarter-Finals of the 2026 #NedbankCup are confirmed 🏆🟢#SSDiski | #SSFootball pic.twitter.com/y7aPBOvZZQ
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) February 23, 2026
This will be the fifth time Galaxy have played amateur opposition and they have always won comfortably, including a 7-0 victory over CR Vasco da Gama last season, the same side that Spears beat in the previous round this year.
Galaxy have not progressed past the quarterfinals since they lifted the trophy seven years ago and will see this as a huge chance.
There is another local derby in this year’s competition as both Lamontville Golden Arrows and Durban City chase a first-ever Nedbank Cup title.
The teams have met once before, in the league this season, and it ended in a 1-1 draw at City. That was back in August and much has changed for both sides since then.
Golden Arrows had exited in the first round of the Nedbank Cup in five of the last six seasons, so they are in rare territory after already seeing off two top-flight teams in this campaign, Orbit College and Stellenbosch FC.
City have needed penalties in both their matches so far in 2026, having played to a pair of 0-0 draws.
The matches are scheduled to be played on March 7-8.
NEDBANK CUP QUARTERFINAL DRAW:
AmaZulu v Casric Stars
Sekhukhune United v Milford
TS Galaxy v Jacksa Spears
Lamontville Golden Arrows v Durban City