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| Full name | Stellenbosch Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Stellies The Maroons | ||
| Founded | 3 August 2016; 9 years ago (3 August 2016) | ||
| Ground | Danie Craven Stadium,Stellenbosch[1] | ||
| Capacity | 16,000[2] | ||
| Coach | Gavin Hunt | ||
| League | South African Premiership | ||
| 2024–25 | 3rd | ||
| Website | stellenboschfc | ||
| Active departments of Stellenbosch F.C. | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Football (Men's) | Football (Women's) | |
Stellenbosch Football Club is a professionalfootball club based inStellenbosch, South Africa. Founded in 2016 following the relocation ofVasco da Gama FC to Stellenbosch, the club is the firstPremier Soccer League team from theCape Winelands region and was promoted to theSouth African Premiership in 2019. The first team plays its home matches at theDanie Craven Stadium.
Domestically, the club has won theNational First Division in 2019, earning promotion to the top-flight for the first time in the process, and the2023 Carling Knockout Cup, which saw the team become the inaugural champions of the revamped competition.[3] Stellenbosch have also twice competed in the continentalCAF Confederation Cup and reached the semi-final stage of the competition in the club's first appearance during the 2024-25 season.[4]
Stellenbosch Football Club was formed in August 2016 when the Premier Soccer League Executive Committee approved the application from National First Division side, Vasco Da Gama for aname change following the club's relocation fromParow to the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) inStellenbosch.[5]
Sammy Troughton was appointed as head coach and Stellies' first National First Division match was played on 28 August 2016 when the team suffered a 3–1 loss toMthatha Bucks, with Stanley Muishond scoring the club's first-ever goal during the encounter. The club ended its maiden season in third position on the log standings, clinching the final promotion/relegation playoff spot by one point, but ultimately missed out on promotion during the subsequent mini league.[6]
Following an unsuccessful attempt to gain promotion, the club parted waysTroughton and replaced him withSteve Barker, who had previously been appointed as an assistant coach mid-way through the season.[7][8] The team subsequently recorded a split record of 10 wins, 10 draws, and 10 losses to finish eighth in the league, thereby failing to qualify for the playoffs. This ultimately led to a change in ownership in August 2018 when the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport, owned by billionaireJohann Rupert'sRemgro,[9] purchased the club to usher in a new era.[10]
The following season, Barker's side secured promotion to thePremiership, the top-flight of South African football, as champions of the National First Division after recording a 0–0 draw against Maccabi FC on the final day of the campaign.[11][12] Stellenbosch commenced their maiden Premiership campaign with a goalless draw againstChippa United, before going on to end the season in 10th position during a year that was interrupted and affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[13][14]
The following season, the club began playing home matches at theDanie Craven Stadium, traditionally used for rugby, where it has played the majority of its fixtures since, alternating on occasion withAthlone Stadium inCape Town.[15] Stellenbosch then finished 14th in the 2020–21 domestic standings, a club-record 4th in the 2021–22 season, thereby qualifying for the first time to compete in theMTN 8 tournament, and 6th in 2022–23 campaign. In December 2023, the club won its first cup competition after being crowned inauguralCarling Knockout champions following a penalty shootout win overTS Galaxy at theMoses Mabhida Stadium inDurban.[3] In April 2025 Stellenbosch FC made history by reaching the semi-final of the2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup, defeatingEgyptian soccer teamZamalek SC 1–0 in Cairo.[16][17]
The chief operating officer at the club, Rob Benadie stated "The name 'Stellenbosch FC' shows our intention of creating a club that symbolises the Cape Winelands community. We are on a pathway of building something special‚ and we want to take this community with us."[18] The crest of the club features abunch of grapes, as Stellenbosch is based within theCape Winelands District Municipality.[3]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Stellenbosch Football Club[edit]
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