Home form the foundation of Kruger United’s promotion

Head coach Abram Mongoya believes their dominance at KaNyamazane Stadium laid the platform for their historic achievement, with the side completing the entire league season unbeaten at home.

“Very difficult one - these boys have gone the whole season unbeaten at home. It shows something, it shows character. I think as a coach also I can say I’ve only lost in a league game against Leopards last season, and I told them when I came in, I said I don’t want to lose at home.

“It’s one place, one fortress that they must make sure we don’t give things away. We don’t give away points.”

READ: Keanu Cupido confirms playing through pain in Champions League final

Despite already being confirmed as champions before kick-off, Mongoya admitted The Bees pushed his side hard in the derby and felt the visitors produced one of their better performances of the season.

“Good team today. They deserve to win, to be honest. Under normal circumstances, it’s just that they never scored and led us. They always came behind us, but it was a very top performance from The Bees as well.”

The Mpumalanga outfit secured the Motsepe Foundation Championship title after a crucial 3-1 victory over Black Leopards earlier this month, a result that opened an unassailable eight-point lead at the top of the standings with two matches still to play. 

That triumph confirmed their elevation to the Premiership and ensured their final fixture of the campaign carried more celebratory significance than pressure.

Supporters turned out in large numbers for the Mpumalanga derby against neighbours The Bees, as Kruger United officially celebrated being crowned champions of the National First Division after collecting 62 points during the 2025/26 season. 

The club’s consistency throughout the campaign, particularly on home soil, proved decisive in their push for promotion.

Kruger United now become only the second club from Mpumalanga to compete in the Betway Premiership, joining TS Galaxy in South Africa’s top division next season. 

Their promotion also marks a significant milestone for football development in the province, with the club set to test themselves against the country’s elite in the 2026/27 campaign.