Can Kaizer Chiefs Challenge for the Title in the 2025/26 Premiership?

Rethabile Nyelele4 August , 2025

As the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season kicks off, Kaizer Chiefs are entering a critical chapter in their modern history, one not simply focused on restoration, but on genuine evolution.

After years of seeking stability and pride, the conversation has shifted. The fans, the club, and the leadership know that it’s no longer enough to show glimpses of improvement. This season, the demand is clear: win trophies or fall short of expectations once again.

The Pressure Is On Nabi

Head coach Nasreddine Nabi is now in his second term in charge, and with that comes heightened scrutiny. While his first season may have been forgiven as a transitional period, this campaign has no such allowances. Chiefs supporters are done applauding potential; they want tangible progress.

Ironically, their absence from the 2025 MTN8, due to a 10th-place finish last season, may prove to be a silver lining. With fewer early-season fixtures, Nabi has more time to mould the squad and cement a footballing philosophy that has long been missing from Naturena.

Time for Identity — Not Just Improvement

In recent years, Chiefs have struggled with a clear sense of playing identity. Tactical inconsistency and shifting philosophies have left the team playing catch-up. This season, there can be no ambiguity. Nabi’s challenge is to implement a coherent style of play one the players commit to and the fans can believe in.

That identity must be executed with precision and confidence, especially against the big guns of South African football.

Smart Recruitment Over Major Overhaul

The club’s transfer window was not about massive changes but targeted improvements. The acquisitions of Siphesihle Ndlovu, Thabiso Monyane, and Ethan Chislett suggest a blend of young talent and creative spark. It’s a sign that Chiefs are not just building for the present but laying the foundation for the next core group of leaders.

This pragmatic approach signals planning with intent, but planning without execution no longer satisfies a trophy-starved fanbase.

Testing Themselves Abroad

Chiefs’ pre-season tour in the Netherlands may not have yielded victories with just one win from five matches, but the exposure to high-level European opposition offered valuable lessons. Rather than remaining insulated within the local league, the club is beginning to measure itself against tougher international standards.

This kind of preparation shows an awareness that to win domestically, Chiefs must raise their overall level physically, tactically, and mentally.

Leadership Must Rise

Big clubs are defined not just by their squads, but by the leaders within them. It’s not enough to have seasoned players those players must step forward and lead from the front.

Individuals like Thabo Cele, Inacio Miguel, and returning figures such as Brandon Petersen must assume greater responsibility. Chiefs’ decade-long league title drought will only be broken through on-field accountability and locker-room leadership.

From Hope to Expectation

Perhaps the biggest hurdle remaining is psychological. Chiefs must stop approaching games as hopeful underdogs. The great clubs don’t hope to win they expect to win.

This is the crucial difference between being a top-four side and a true title contender. Mentality must shift. The performances must reflect the badge’s legacy. The fans aren’t demanding miracles but they are calling for courage, consistency, and quality.

Can Chiefs Compete With the Best?

The ultimate question is whether Kaizer Chiefs can hold their own against Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates not just in isolated matches but across the length of a full season. Competing for the Nedbank Cup is one thing, but finishing in the top three and even mounting a serious title push must be the new benchmark.

Chiefs have the squad depth, they’ve started putting structure in place, and they’ve taken steps toward higher standards. But now comes the most important part delivering when it counts.

Kaizer Chiefs are no longer in a rebuild. They are in the spotlight, with everything to prove. The 2025/26 season isn’t about excuses or learning curves it’s about results.

They can challenge for the Premiership title. The question is, will they?