LIMPOPO – Giyani football fans are set for a major surprise when the new season kicks off next week, with one of the town’s top football clubs, the Makosha Wonder Boys, being put up for sale.

The team, which currently competes in the Hollywoodbets regional league, is being sold because of financial difficulties that have made it increasingly difficult for the club to operate.

Chairman cites unbearable running costs

Makosha Wonder Boys chairman Phakisi Chabalala said the costs of maintaining the team, particularly transporting players to matches, had become too much for the club to bear without sponsorship.

“The move to sell the status is due to financial challenges. You know we do not have sponsors, so keeping a team has become unbearable,” said Chabalala.

He said the club was selling its status for R35 000, in the hope of finding a buyer who would be able to take the team forward.

This new development comes despite the team’s strong performances in recent years.

In 2024, the team finished top of the regional league, raising hopes of promotion to the provincial third-tier competition. However, their campaign ended in the regional playoffs, where they were knocked out early, missing out on the opportunity to secure a place in the ABC Motsepe League.

Mayor’s Cup win masked deeper struggles

Despite the setback, their fortune appeared to improve in 2025 when they won the Greater Giyani Mayor’s Cup, one of the area’s biggest football tournaments by municipal standards.

The victory earned them R55 000 in prize money and cemented their reputation as one of the leading local sides.

However, despite being the reigning champions, Wonder Boys failed to qualify for the top 32 teams that competed in this year’s Mayor’s Cup. This means the club has become the only team to have won the Mayor’s Cup tournament but failed to qualify to defend its title the following year.

Uncertain future without a buyer

The development has left questions over the future of a club that has enjoyed considerable success on the local football scene but continues to struggle financially.

For Chabalala, the decision to sell is ultimately a financial one, as the club cannot continue operating without the resources needed to meet its basic expenses.

The sale could therefore mark the end of an era for Wonder Boys unless a buyer steps forward to take over the club and provide the financial backing needed to keep it competing.