In This Week’s Edition Of Soccer Laduma

In anticipation of this week’s 1474th edition of Soccer Laduma, we preview some of the features and interviews included. The latest edition will be available at your nearest outlet on Thursday, 14th May 2026.

Rewind to the 5th of September 2025 and Kaizer Chiefs were announcing the signing of a former PSL Golden Boot winner, Khanyisa Mayo, who was still just 27 years old. It seemed like the sort of signing to finally get Chiefs scoring goals freely again. However, things have not gone to plan for the striker. Despite his family connections to the Glamour Boys, Mayo has not managed to nail down a regular starting berth… and has even found himself left in the stands at times. A big decision awaits Chiefs in the off-season as they navigate whether to turn Mayo’s loan from CR Belouizdad in Algeria into a permanent deal. Are there valid reasons for a slow season for the former Cape Town City forward? Will he be a different player after a full preseason, potentially with a new coach? Or should Amakhosi cut their losses and move on? Soccer Laduma investigates.

A 10-year wait for a CAF Champions League title could finally end for Mamelodi Sundowns, who have booked their place in the final for the second consecutive season under head coach Miguel Cardoso. After losing to Pyramids FC last season, the 2016 champions are determined to become the first South African club to win the competition twice. Standing in their way is Moroccan outfit AS FAR, who are in the final for the first time since they last won the competition in 1985. Soccer Laduma looks ahead to the final, which starts this weekend with the first leg at Loftus Stadium.

South Africa is going to the FIFA World Cup 2026, and for 16 lucky fans, the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture is footing the bill. Minister Gayton McKenzie’s ‘Mzansi to the World Cup’ competition captured the imagination of thousands, producing 20 proud ambassadors who will stand inside Estadio Azteca when Bafana Bafana kick off against Mexico on 11 June. It is a beautiful story. But behind the feel-good headlines lies a harsher truth: for the overwhelming majority of South African football fans, the 2026 World Cup is financially out of reach. Ticket prices that would swallow eight months of minimum-wage income, flights across 14 000 kilometres, visas, hotels and daily living costs all combine to tell the story of a nation that qualified for the greatest show on earth but can barely afford a seat in the stadium.

Winning promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship to the Betway Premiership is easier said than done. Kruger United, however, needed just two seasons to do that. How did a club formed three years ago do it? Soccer Laduma finds out from the club’s chairman, Bongani Wati.

No Liverpool fan could have imagined that the 2025/26 season would play out the way it did following the tremendous success of the previous season. Arne Slot had the unenviable task of replacing Jurgen Klopp, but he led the Reds to their 20th league title in 2024/25, pulling the Merseysiders level with rivals Manchester United for the most English league titles. However, the 2025/26 season was built on an inconsistent foundation, and the campaign fizzled out before it truly began. Soccer Laduma looks at Liverpool’s inconsistencies throughout the season, the far-from-fairytale ending for Mohamed Salah and what the future holds for the club and Slot.

This week we hear from former Jomo Cosmos midfielder Brian Sebapole on the PSL promotional/relegation play-offs.

In this week's edition of the popular Siyagobhoza section, Chiefs add Phili to transfer wish list, Mbule unlikely to stay at Pirates and PSL return or reunion with Rhulani possible for Mailula.

Grab a copy of the latest edition of Soccer Laduma at your nearest outlet tomorrow. Don’t miss out!