As the league seasons draw to a close, the spotlight shifts to the cup competitions.

The structure for both Division 1 and Division 2 cups is identical, featuring three groups. Two of these groups consist of four teams each, and one comprises three teams. Teams compete in both home and away matches. The group winners and the best-performing runner-up across all groups advance to the semifinals.

In the opening round of Group A for Division 1, Global extended their league dominance with a 4-2 victory over Sundowners 2. Meanwhile, Highlands A beat Joburg Atletico with a 6-2 scoreline. Over in Group B, Panorama faced difficulties fielding a complete team, resulting in a 3-0 forfeit to Joburg City. Sundowners set a strong start with a 5-0 thrashing of Olympia. In Group C, Randburg kicked off their campaign with a solid 4-2 win against Barcelona.

Turning our attention to Division 2, Group A saw GMPI securing a 3-1 win against Florida, while Highlands Park B outscored Old Parks 2 in a high-scoring 6-3 game. The so-called ‘group of death’, brimming with the top four teams from this season’s Division 2, witnessed Lenasia dispatching Randfontein 4-1, and Old Parks narrowly edging out Warriors 3-2. In Group C, Fling Eagles clinched a narrow 4-3 victory over Olympia 2.

These opening matches set the stage for what promises to be an exhilarating continuation of cup battles, with teams eager to etch their names into the annals of their respective competitions.