Chiefs head coach search on, who's next?

Shortly after the end of a season in which Kaizer Chiefs ticked some of the important boxes, the Soweto giants find themselves in the unenviable situation of an imminent rebuilding process.

Chiefs have finished third, a far cry from the season prior, where they missed out on the Top Eight.

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Having started 2025/26 under Nasreddine Nabi, his assistants Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef then had to lead the ship on a caretaker basis after the Tunisian parted ways with the club.

They managed a credible third-place finish, guiding them back to the CAF Confederation Cup for next term. It was thought that they had done enough to see their tenure at the helm extended, but the management has made the decision to let go of the pair in search of a new direction.

The news was announced on Tuesday afternoon following a meeting between all the parties concerned.

Information reaching this website is that the club is not in favour of a co-coaching scenario going forward, hence the search will be for a sole head coach.

Candidates for the position include current Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi.

The 55-year-old held advanced talks with the Soweto giants before his spell with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2014, and it is not out of the question that Amakhosi would look to rekindle their interest in the experienced mentor.

Several reports have also linked Fernando Da Cruz with a return to Naturena. The Spaniard was initially signed as assistant coach to Nabi but left just weeks into his tenure to take up a role in the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).

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Fans have also been calling for Pitso Mosimane, who is currently without a club but will not come on the cheap, to be brought in to restore the glory days.

A lot of names will be thrown around in conversations around who should coach Chiefs next, and the club will be keen to make an appointment in time for pre-season, which is expected to begin in earnest in early July.

So, who will it be in arguably the hottest coaching seat on the South African football scene?