Polokwane City FC: The Limpopo Soccer Club, Its Ground, Owners and Players

Polokwane City are a soccer club from Polokwane, the capital of Limpopo province, and won promotion to South Africa's Premiership in May 2013 and again in 2023. The club was established in 2012, when the Mogaladi family bought the Bay United franchise and settled it in Limpopo. What follows covers the ground, the unusual franchise story, the owners, the honours and the four players lost on the road in 2012, then explains how readers in Lagos, Nairobi, Accra or Kampala can follow the club.

Think of a family business that buys a shop in another town, keeps the trading licence and paints a new name above the door. In my opinion, that is the easiest way to understand Polokwane City's franchise history. Its Limpopo setting and connections with players from elsewhere in Africa offer several ways into the club's story.

Who Are Polokwane City FC?

Polokwane City FC are a Limpopo soccer club based in Polokwane, formerly called Pietersburg. Polokwane sits on the N1 about 300 km north of Gauteng and about 200 km from the Zimbabwean border. So, for a reader in Nigeria or Kenya, picture a provincial capital near the top of the country, with a soccer club that carries its name and its pride. The club has had two spells in the National First Division (now the Motsepe Foundation Championship), and returned to the top flight for 2023-24.

Where Do Polokwane City Play Their Home Games?

Polokwane has two stadiums carrying the same name, and the difference matters if you are planning a trip. The Old Peter Mokaba Stadium opened in 1976, has a listed capacity of 15,000, was once home to Ria Stars, and is listed as Polokwane City's ground. The newer Peter Mokaba Stadium on Magazyn Street, about 3 km from the central business district, opened on 23 January 2010 with a capacity of 45,500 (reduced to 41,733 for the World Cup). It hosted four group matches in 2010, including Algeria against Slovenia (0-1), the African side's game in the city. Both carry the name of Peter Mokaba, a former ANC Youth League leader. So, check the venue on each fixture card rather than assuming which ground is in use.

How Did a Port Elizabeth Franchise Become a Limpopo Club?

The club's story starts on the coast, a long way from Limpopo. In 2006 the Maritzburg United franchise was bought and moved to Port Elizabeth, where it played as Bay United. After the 2010-11 National First Division season the franchise moved north to Polokwane, and in 2012 the owners of Bay United sold it to the Mogaladi family, who established Polokwane City.

Who Coaches Polokwane City, and Who Are the Players?

Check the coach and registered players when following Polokwane City this season, particularly if you are looking for a compatriot from elsewhere in Africa. For history, the former coaches make a useful quick reference: Vladislav Heric (2012-13), Boebie Solomons (2013-14), Kosta Papić (2014-15), Júlio Leal (2015-16), Luc Eymael (2016-18) and Jozef Vukušič (2018-19). Eymael's spell included sixth place in 2016-17, and Vukušič held the post in 2018-19, when they finished 5th in the Premiership.

How Do You Follow Polokwane City Fixtures, Results and the Log From Africa?

Use the Polokwane City fixtures listing to check opponents, dates and venues. For a Polokwane City kick off scheduled at 19:30 SAST, the equivalent times are 17:30 GMT for Accra, 18:30 WAT for Lagos and 20:30 EAT for Nairobi and Kampala. Confirm viewing arrangements for your country before making plans around a match.

When reading Polokwane City's log, compare goals scored with goals conceded to understand how attack and defence contribute to their results. Keep Premiership results separate from cup meetings when assessing the club's record against another side.

What Have Polokwane City Won?

Polokwane City's honours are two National First Division titles, in 2012-13 and 2022-23, and each one brought promotion to the Premiership. The first came in their debut season under the new name, and they went up in May 2013. The second ended a three season stay in the second tier that followed a 16th place finish and relegation in 2019-20, and it returned them to the top flight for 2023-24. In my opinion, winning the second tier twice is a harder trick than it looks, because that division rewards squads that can collect points on long away trips week after week.

Their recorded finishes include 8th in 2023-24 and 7th in 2024-25. Earlier Premiership campaigns brought 15th in 2013-14, 6th in 2016-17, 12th in 2017-18 and 5th in 2018-19.

Who Owns Polokwane City, and Why Do They Matter Beyond Limpopo?

The Mogaladi family bought the franchise in 2012 and established Polokwane City. That purchase connects the club's Limpopo identity with the earlier Bay United story and provides the starting point for understanding its ownership history.

The African angle is strong for a club so close to the Zimbabwean border. Players who have worn the shirt include Zimbabwean goalkeeper George Chigova, Ugandan forward Brian Bwire and the Ugandan born Boban Zirintusa, along with Manuel Kambala of Mozambique and Essau Kanyenda of Malawi. That is a southern and East African thread running through a small provincial club, and it gives Ugandan readers in particular a real reason to follow the results. Perhaps geography explains part of it, since a city near a border naturally looks across it for talent.

Polokwane City's Limpopo location gives readers in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda a geographical starting point for following the club. A 15:00 SAST kick off means 14:00 WAT in Nigeria, 16:00 EAT in Kenya and Uganda, and 13:00 GMT in Ghana.

Remembering the Four Players Lost in November 2012

On 11 November 2012, in the club's first season as Polokwane City, four players died in a traffic accident while returning from a match against FC AK. They were Khomotso Silvester Mpaketsane, Benjamin Moeketsi Nthete, Mojalefa Robert Mphuthi and Koketso Isaiah Takalo. The squad went on to win the National First Division that same season, and it is hard to read about that title without thinking of the four who did not see it. For many Limpopo supporters the date remains part of what the club means, and their names belong in any honest account of its history.

Looking for Polokwane the City: Library, Square, Marathon or Clinics?

If you searched for the Polokwane City library, the city square, the Polokwane City marathon in 2026 or clinics in Polokwane City, you are looking for the city rather than the soccer club. Polokwane, formerly Pietersburg, is the capital of Limpopo province and counted 130,028 residents at the 2011 census. Its libraries, public spaces, events and health services are run by the municipality and provincial bodies, and those offices are the right places to ask about opening hours, routes or appointments.

For a visit built around Polokwane City, confirm the match venue before planning your journey. The World Cup stadium stands on Magazyn Street, about 3 km from the central business district.