Black Leopards F.C.

The club was founded in 1983 by business people in the Vhembe Region. In 1998 the club was taken over by the Thidiela family.^[2] After just two seasons of campaigning in the National First Division, Black Leopards was promoted to the 2001–02 South African Premiership.

In 2008, the club was relegated back to the National First Division after playing for seven seasons in the Premiership, but made its return to the top tier three years later.

Following their 16th place finish in the 2022–23 season, the club was due to be relegated. However, Leopards purchased the status from All Stars to remain in the division.^[3]

Following a dispute with a former All Stars player, FIFA imposed a transfer ban on the club at the end of the 2024–25 season. This resulted in the club having only ten players available for the first game of the 2025–26 season, a 3–0 loss to Casric Stars.^[4] The club was cleared to utilise its new players in October 2025, prior to the fifth game of the season.^[5]

The club was relegated from the 2025–26 National First Division, finishing 15th in the table.^[6]

Leopards appealed the relegation, claiming that the PSL incorrectly withdrew their player registration cards as a result of the FIFA transfer ban, prejudicing them in the early rounds of the league. The case was dismissed by both the PSL and SAFA. In August 2026, Leopards withdrew from the SAFA Second Division, stating that they intended to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).^[7]

• First Division Inland Stream: 1

2000-01

• National First Division promotion/relegation playoffs: 2

2010–11

2017–18