Kaizer Chiefs signing Faiz Abrahams appears set to wear No 35

Faiz Abrahams has offered a glimpse of his likely Kaizer Chiefs squad number, with the 21-year-old seen wearing or indicating the No 35 shirt. The attacker has not yet made his debut for the club and is still working towards full fitness.

Abrahams shared an image from the Kaizer Chiefs dressing room before a recent Amakhosi fixture. The No 35 shirt became available after Aden McCarthy left the club to join Sabah FK in Azerbaijan, creating an opening for the new signing.

Head coach Fernando Da Cruz has said Abrahams is not ready to play after missing the pre-season programme at Stellenbosch FC before his move to Naturena. That absence has left him behind his new teammates in terms of match fitness, meaning his first appearance will come later rather than immediately.

The Cape Flats-born player began his development at Ajax Cape Town, which subsequently became Cape Town Spurs. He made his Premier Soccer League debut in April 2024, one day after turning 19, and later established himself as one of the country’s promising young attacking players.

Stellenbosch played an important role in his progress. Abrahams scored 11 goals and supplied six assists during the 2024/25 DStv Diski Challenge campaign, performances that earned him the Player of the Season award. He then made his senior debut for Stellenbosch against Kaizer Chiefs and also spent time on loan at Hapoel Kfar Saba in Israel, recording three goals and three assists in 11 appearances.

He represented South Africa’s Under-20 side at the 2025 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, featuring three times and providing one assist as Amajita won the continental title. His arrival gives Chiefs another attacking option, although Da Cruz will wait until he is ready to compete.

Kaizer Chiefs sit second in the 2026 South African Premier Soccer League with seven points from three matches, after two wins and a draw, and have scored six goals while conceding two. Their listed recent form includes a 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns, a 2-0 win over Sekhukhune United, a 0-1 loss to Golden Arrows, a 3-1 victory at Kruger United and a 1-2 defeat at Elche. The next league fixture is away to Richards Bay on August 26, but Abrahams’ debut remains dependent on his fitness.