Amakhosi midfielder, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo is raring to go as Kaizer Chiefs prepare to open the 2025/26 PSL season with a Betway Premiership encounter against Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.

The talented playmaker tells www.kaizerchiefs.com that confidence has been building within the Club following a positive pre-season programme.

“The league is starting soon and we are focused and ready. Our energy is high and we going into the season with a positive mentality, not over-excited but confident. We want to get into a rhythm that we can maintain throughout the season,” he says, emphasising the benefits of Amakhosi’s July training camp in the Netherlands, where they played friendlies against three top-tier Dutch clubs, “The camp really helped. We learned a lot in the Netherlands. We were able to fix some things in our team over there and have continued making improvements since we returned home. We have done a lot of hard work and aim to be in form right from the first game of the season this weekend.”

The thrill of putting the first major silverware in the Chiefs trophy cabinet for a decade has given the team a taste of success, which “Mshini’ reveals has produced an appetite for more: “We won the Nedbank Cup last season and qualified to play in the CAF Confederation Cup this season, which is inspiring us to start on the front foot. We are motivated to build on what we achieved last season and do our best in every competition we are involved in.”

The opening league fixture will not be easy, and Ngcobo expects a tough outing at the Athlone stadium.

“Playing Stellenbosch away is always hard no matter the venue,” he admits, “They are a tricky opponent, but I’d say we know the quite well and must guard against their strengths while also focusing on our own strategy to give them problems. We have our plan and are keen to go all out to win.”

While Stellies have already played an official fixture this season in the MTN8, ‘Mshini’ dismisses the suggestion that they will be in better shape than Amakhosi on Sunday.

“We also played some pre-season matches that were very competitive so I don’t think their game gives them any advantage. We are ready to start the league, and compete,” he states.

Ngcobo says the mood in the camp is positive, with the new arrivals settling in well.

“Our squad is well-balanced. I think our new signings bring a lot of quality and will help us a lot. We have made them feel at home here at Chiefs and are looking forward to working together to win matches,” he says, before concluding with a message to the Amakhosi faithful, “To the Amakhosi family, we ask you to come to the stadiums every match-day to support us. Khosi!

The opening Betway Premiership match of the season between Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs kicks off at 17:30 on Sunday, 10 August, at the Athlone stadium in Cape Town.