Kaizer Chiefs to face Scottish giants Rangers in pre-season friendly in Spain

Kaizer Chiefs will continue their preparations for the upcoming South African Premiership season with a high-profile pre-season friendly against Scottish giants Rangers.

The highly anticipated friendly has been scheduled to take place in Spain at the Camilo Cano Olympic Stadium on Sunday, July 12.

The encounter forms part of Amakhosi’s intensive preparations ahead of the new campaign as they look to build momentum under newly appointed head coach Fernando da Cruz.

Interestingly, both Kaizer Chiefs and Rangers finished third in their respective domestic leagues last season, making the friendly an intriguing test for two clubs aiming to improve their performances in the upcoming season.

The Soweto giants have opted for a European pre-season camp this year, choosing Spain as their base after spending their preparations in the Netherlands during the previous campaign.

Kaizer Chiefs will be stationed in Murcia, where they will undergo a series of training sessions and friendly matches designed to sharpen the squad physically and tactically before the start of competitive football.

The camp, which begins this Friday and runs into next week, will give Da Cruz valuable time to assess his squad, implement his tactical ideas and build chemistry among the players ahead of a demanding season.

The French tactician takes charge of Chiefs for the second time after briefly being involved with the club last season. He was initially part of the technical setup at Naturena before leaving to take up a coaching role with the Moroccan Football Federation.

Da Cruz returns to a team that previously worked under Nasreddine Nabi, who guided Chiefs through the 2025/26 campaign. The new coach will now be tasked with continuing the rebuilding process and helping Amakhosi return to the top levels of South African football.

The pre-season friendly against Rangers will provide an early indication of the team’s progress under Da Cruz, while also allowing the coach to evaluate both new signings and existing players.

Kaizer Chiefs have already started strengthening their squad ahead of the new season, with defender Thabo Moloisane and goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner among the confirmed arrivals. More additions are expected as the club aims to assemble a competitive squad capable of challenging for honours.

Facing Rangers, a club with extensive European experience and a rich history, will offer Chiefs a valuable opportunity to test themselves against quality opposition.

The match is expected to be a key part of Amakhosi’s preparations as they seek to begin the 2026/27 season on a positive note and end their long wait for major silverware.