AmaZulu’s strong start puts them in Betway Premiership title conversation

AmaZulu have emerged as an unexpected early contender in the 2026/27 Betway Premiership after taking 16 points from their opening seven matches.

Arthur Zwane’s team are third in the table, four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have 20 points. They are also only three points adrift of defending champions Orlando Pirates, who won the league last season.

Recent seasons have suggested the title race is most likely to involve Sundowns or Orlando Pirates. Kaizer Chiefs would be the more obvious choice for many as a possible third challenger, but AmaZulu currently sit closest to the two established leading clubs.

There is still a considerable distance to cover before the conclusion of the campaign, with only seven rounds completed. However, Usuthu’s start has been strong enough to make a possible challenge worthy of discussion rather than simple speculation.

Zwane prediction beginning to look credible

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Eugene Zwane identified AmaZulu as a potential “dark horse” for the 2026/27 season last month.

He also backed his namesake, Arthur Zwane, to guide the club into the top three.

“You know, the dark horse is going to be AmaZulu, hey. I can almost guarantee that they will be able to get a top three finish this season under his [Zwane] leadership,” Zwane told FARPost.

That assessment was made before the early league standings had fully taken shape. AmaZulu’s position after seven matches now gives the prediction added weight, with the club already occupying the top-three place Eugene Zwane believed they could reach.

His comments were not necessarily a forecast that AmaZulu would win the title. The point was that they could break into the top three, and their current position means that possibility is now supported by the table.

Durban City derby next

The difficulty for AmaZulu will be maintaining their challenge as the season develops and the pressure increases.

Their next fixture will provide an immediate test when they face Durban City in a KwaZulu-Natal derby. Arthur Zwane’s side will make the short journey to Chatsworth Stadium for the match on 13 October 2026.

It remains too early to say whether AmaZulu can sustain a title challenge across the full campaign. But their opening seven games have placed them close enough to Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates for their ambitions to be taken seriously.