Kaizer Chiefs set Da Cruz targets as Ngcobo future stays unclear

Kaizer Chiefs sit second in the 2026 South African Premier Soccer League with seven points from three matches. They have won two games and drawn one, scoring six goals and conceding two.

That unbeaten league start has not removed the pressure on coach Fernando Da Cruz. The Chiefs board expects the team to finish at least as runners-up during his tenure, a position that would return the club to CAF competition. The target places continental qualification at the centre of Da Cruz’s brief.

Cup performance is also expected to matter. Chiefs have already lost one opportunity after their MTN8 disappointment, leaving success in another cup competition as an important part of the standard being set for the coach.

The position of Nkosingiphile Ngcobo is less certain. He was an unused substitute in Chiefs’ 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns, and his place in the team and longer-term future remain unclear.

Chiefs’ recent results show a mixed run beyond the current league campaign. They drew with Sundowns, beat Sekhukhune United 2-0 and Kruger United 3-1, but lost 1-0 to Golden Arrows and 2-1 away to Elche. Their league record, however, leaves them unbeaten after the opening three fixtures.

The next test comes away to Richards Bay on 26 August. Chiefs will arrive with the immediate benefit of seven points, while Da Cruz continues to work under a league-position requirement and Ngcobo’s situation remains unresolved.