Bafana legend Mphela: "SuperSport won't be relegated"

SuperSport United/Facebook

SuperSport United have never been relegated from the South African Premiership since the debut season of South Africa's modern top flight era in the 1996-97 season. However, the Pretoria club are in serious danger of discovering life in the second tier Motsepe Foundation Championship if they don't pick up their form.

Matsatsantsa are currently in 14th place, tied on 24 points with fellow strugglers Cape Town City, and have only won one league match in 2025 against Kaizer Chiefs in mid-February. Former SuperSport player and prolific South Africa national team striker Katlego "Killer" Mphela expressed his concerns over the situation in comments to Soccer Laduma:

"Imagine how sad and painful it would be to see the team going down...That's why I am saying it would be sad to see SuperSport United relegated."

But Mphela also placed plenty of belief in his former club to avoid the drop:

"...knowing SuperSport, that won't happen. They won't be relegated. That I know...as I have said I know that team. They won't give up until the end and fight to stay up."

Fortunately for SuperSport, the situation is a bit more favorable in the league this season for clubs in danger of the drop. Royal AM's financial and legal issues have left them guaranteed to finish last place in the only position that results in automatic relegation to the second tier.

That leaves only the relegation playoff position reserved for the team that finishes 15th place, who would compete with the 2nd and 3rd place finishers from the Motsepe Foundation Championship with the top team confirming top flight status next season.

The worst position SuperSport have finished in during their existence was during the 1997-98 season when they finished 14th while the top flight contained eighteen clubs. SuperSport won the league three seasons in a row from 2007 to 2010 and are renowned for their youth academy which has produced many top South African players.