African Tigers FC celebrated a successful 2026 season after their U12 and U13 teams were crowned league champions in their respective divisions.

The U12 team secured the top spot after beating Rovers 2–0 in their final game. The team had a strong campaign, playing 18 games, winning 16, drawing one and losing one.

Coach and chairperson Imtiaz Choughlay said the final match was a must-win for his young players.

“The U12s played against Rovers and won 2-0. This game we had to win to take the spot to be champions,” he said.

The U13 team also ended the season at the top of the log after an unbeaten campaign. They faced Rovers in their final game and secured a 3-1 victory to maintain their unbeaten record and finish in first place.

The side played 17 games, winning 14 and drawing three.

Choughlay said the U13 team had been league leaders from the start of the season, with Highlands Park trailing by three points.

“Both teams were winning games and our boys worked hard not to lose a game. We were unbeaten in this league,” he said.

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One of the standout matches for the Under 13s was against Highlands Park, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

“We could not afford to lose this game,” Choughlay said.

Choughlay said keeping the players fit and focused throughout the season was one of the biggest challenges.

“All our games were played at 08:30, and coaches had to make sure our players were on time. This was also challenging,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Choughlay commended the club’s coaches for their continued dedication.

“Our coaches went the extra mile in developing our players and giving them advice and planning the weekend games, and this paid off,” he said.

African Tigers had five divisions competing during the season, including U8, U9, U12 and U13 teams.

Choughlay said the club’s U8 players, who were playing on a soccer field for the first time, performed well, while both U9 teams finished third in their respective age groups.

“African Tigers have made history in achieving our goals for the year 2026,” he said.

He believes the success of African Tigers and other local clubs shows football’s potential in Springs.

“I would like to mention we have two clubs in Springs that have won leagues in their age group. This shows Springs has potential,” Choughlay said.

Choughlay said African Tigers now want to climb the ladder to Division One.

“We are planning to climb the ladder to Division One, which will be much more competitive and show the strength of our players,” he said.

The club is also preparing for tournaments in October, hoping to add more silverware to its collection. Choughlay thanked the parents for their support throughout the season.

“Thank you to our African Tigers parents who supported our children and sacrificed the cold mornings. The end result was that we brought home two championship trophies,” he said.

He also praised the coaches for their commitment and said his dream is to see the club’s players progress to the provincial level and ultimately become professional footballers.