Kovsies forward Omphemetse Athibeng on radar of PSL clubs after Varsity Football triumph

Omphemetse Athibeng’s rise with the University of the Free State has sparked serious interest from clubs in the Betway Premiership and Motsepe Foundation Championship, with the young striker now tipped to be on the verge of a move into professional football.

The 21-year-old University of the Free State attacker, widely viewed as one of the standout performers in Varsity Football, is understood to be attracting attention from several sides across South Africa’s two professional tiers following a series of eye-catching displays.

Athibeng, who plays for UFS Kovsies and can operate both as a central striker and on the right wing, enhanced his reputation during last year’s Varsity Cup and carried that form into the 2025 Varsity Football campaign.

Speaking to Soccer Laduma, his agent Ezequiel Fernandes, of Tri Sports Agency, confirmed that a number of clubs have already made enquiries about the player’s availability.

“One of the top players of the tournament at last year’s Varsity Cup, Omphemetse Athibeng, is a striker who can also play as a right winger,” Fernandes said.

“There are Betway Premiership teams and even from the Motsepe Foundation Championship who have enquired about him,” he added.

Varsity Football success draws scouts

Athibeng’s growing reputation has been driven in large part by his role in UFS’s historic Varsity Football success in 2025, when the team went through the tournament unbeaten.

Kovsies clinched the title after a tense final against TUT, edging the match 5-4 on penalties. Athibeng was among the players to step up in the shootout, calmly converting his spot-kick as UFS secured the trophy and wrote a new chapter in the university’s football history.

His performances across the competition, coupled with his contribution in the decisive moments of the final, have strengthened the view among observers that he is ready to test himself at professional level.

Next step expected to be into professional game

While the identities of the interested clubs have not been disclosed, Fernandes’ comments indicate that both top-flight Betway Premiership sides and Motsepe Foundation Championship outfits are monitoring the forward.

With multiple teams believed to be in the running, the focus around Athibeng has shifted from whether he will make the jump into the professional ranks to when that move will happen – and which club will secure his signature.

For now, Athibeng remains with the University of the Free State, but his progression from Varsity Football standout to professional prospect appears to be gathering pace, with a first contract in the PSL structure now seemingly a matter of timing rather than possibility.