Team Coaches with the Nedbank Cup trophy during the 2018 Nedbank Cup Launch at Nedbank Head Offices, Sandton.

JOHANNESBURG – NEDBANK has extended its sponsorship of South Africa’s prime football cup competition by a further five years after a  successful decade-long partnership with the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

The 2018 edition of the tournament, with total prize money of R20,3 million, has been launched in in Sandton, north of Johannesburg.

The winner is guaranteed R7 million while all lower league teams that have qualified for the Main Draw will receive R100 000.

“It’s a great feeling to be part of a historic occasion where we prolong the marriage between the PSL and Nedbank. It has been an eventful ten years,” PSL Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, said.

“Nedbank understands that football is about giving everyone an opportunity in this country to see things differently, but more importantly, when they came in with an education drive to turn the country green, it was one of those experiences that made me understand the value of nature.”

Nedbank assumed sponsorship of the tournament in 2008. Mamelodi Sundowns won the inaugural competition.

Supersport United are the current champions.

Tobie Badenhorst, Nedbank Head of Sponsorship and Cause Marketing, said the past ten years of the Nedbank Cup had exceeded expectations on and off the field.

“On the field we have seen lesser-known teams become household names as they upset their more fancied opponents. Off the field, we are money experts who do good by investing in football, the passion of many South Africans,” Badenhorst said.

The winner of the tournament qualifies for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederations Cup.

– CAJ News