Da Cruz sets sights on clean sweep of trophies in first full season at Kaizer Chiefs

Fernando Da Cruz insists Kaizer Chiefs will aim to win every competition they enter in the 2026-27 season as he looks to end the club’s prolonged silverware drought.

Chiefs, who have lifted just one major trophy in the past decade – the Nebank Cup – head into the new campaign under pressure from a fanbase long accustomed to seeing the club dominate domestic cup competitions.

The French head coach made clear he will not prioritise one tournament over another, saying his side will approach every fixture with the same mindset.

“We [Chiefs] will play every game to win,” Da Cruz said, outlining his objectives for the season. “There are also the different cups [to compete for] and we want to win every game and every trophy [available].”

Season opens with Toyota Cup and promoted opposition

Chiefs’ first official assignment comes in the Toyota Cup against Scottland FC at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Complex on Sunday, 26 July.

Their Betway Premiership campaign then begins with an away match against newly promoted Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, 1 August.

Da Cruz will be expected to turn Chiefs back into genuine contenders on all fronts after another season without silverware, a situation that has added to frustration among supporters who once saw the club routinely referred to as South Africa’s “Cup Kings”.

League title a ‘marathon’

While he has spoken openly of wanting to win every knockout competition, Da Cruz stressed that sustained consistency in the league is just as important.

“The championship [Betway Premiership] is a marathon; you are not able to win it by December or January,” he explained.

“But you have to be close to the other [top] teams in March or April.”

That approach underlines his belief that Chiefs must stay in touch with the leading pack deep into the campaign if they are to end their long wait for a league crown.

High expectations after barren spell

Last season’s failure to add to their modest recent haul has only sharpened the focus on Da Cruz, who is tasked with rebuilding a winning mentality at one of the country’s most scrutinised clubs.

With one trophy in 10 years, Chiefs find themselves far removed from the era when they regularly collected domestic honours. The coming season therefore carries added significance for the coach and his squad as they attempt to re-establish the club among the game’s dominant forces.

Da Cruz’s insistence that every match will be treated as must-win sets a clear benchmark for his players ahead of a campaign in which progress will be judged as much by performances in the cups as by their position in the Betway Premiership table.