Gauteng Development League
Football league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gauteng Development League is a youth association football development league launched in 2011 by SAFA Gauteng. The league is for youth development for boys in different age groups. It features clubs from all over the province of Gauteng.[1]
| |
| Organising body | SAFA Gauteng |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| Number of clubs | 80 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Relegation to | Gauteng Development Promotional League |
| Domestic cup | Gauteng Development League Top 8 |
| Current champions | Under 13: Mamelodi Sundowns (1st title) Under 14: Kaizer Chiefs (1st title) (2025) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Supersport Schools |
| Website | safagauteng |
History
When Gauteng Development League was launched in 2017, there were just nine teams. It has grown to have 80 teams, with 20 teams in each division: U13, U15, U17 and U19.[2]
In 2020 the league was interrupted by COVID-19.
In 2025 Siwelele bought the Premiership status of SuperSport United and took over the academy in the GDL.[3]
Champions
U/13 Division
| Year | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Orlando Pirates | School of Excellence |
| 2021 | Kaizer Chiefs | Supersport United |
| 2022 | Kaizer Chiefs | Supersport United |
| 2023 | Kaizer Chiefs | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2024 | Kaizer Chiefs[4] | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2025 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Supersport United[5] |
Source:[6]
U/14 Division
| Year | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tuks High School | Kathorus Hyper Academy |
| 2025 | Kaizer Chiefs | Mamelodi Sundowns |
U/15 Division
| Year | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Supersport United |
| 2021 | Kathorus Hyper Academy | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2022 | School of Excellence | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2023 | Kaizer Chiefs | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2024 | Mamelodi Sundowns[4] | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 2025 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Kaizer Chiefs |
Source:[7]
The league was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. There was no winner, but Mamelodi Sundowns were on top of the table at the cancellation of the league.
U/17 Division
| Year | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Bidvest Wits | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 2021 | Supersport United | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2022 | Highlands Park | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 2023 | Supersport United | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 2024 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Remember Elite Sports Academy |
| 2025 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Kaizer Chiefs |
Source:[8]
U/19 Division
| Year | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Kaizer Chiefs | Jomo Cosmos |
| 2022 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Highlands Park |
| 2023 | Highlands Park | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2024[9] | Highlands Parks | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| 2025[10] | Mamelodi Sundowns | Highlands Park |
Source:[11]
GDL Top 8 winners
U/13
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kaizer Chiefs | Mamelodi Sundowns | |
| 2025 | Kaizer Chiefs | SuperSport United | |
| 2026 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Siwelele | [12] |
U/14
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kaizer Chiefs | Highlands Park | [12] |
U/15
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Tuks High School | |
| 2025 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Kaizer Chiefs | |
| 2026 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Siwelele | [12] |
U/17
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kaizer Chiefs | Highlands Park | |
| 2025 | SuperSport United | Remember Elite Sports Academy | |
| 2026 | Siwelele | Kaizer Chiefs | [12] |
U/19
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | SuperSport United | Mamelodi Sundowns | |
| 2025 | SuperSport United | SAFA Transnet School of Excellence | [13] |
| 2026 | Kaizer Chiefs | Remember Elite Sports Academy | [12] |
Gauteng Women's Development League
| Organising body | SAFA Gauteng |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2023 |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| Domestic cup | GWDL Top 8 Championship |
| Current champions | Under 13: JWV (1st title) Under 15: SAFA Academy (1st title) (2025) |
| Broadcaster(s) | SuperSport Schools |
| Website | safagauteng |
The Gauteng Women's Development League is a provincial girls soccer league in Gauteng. The league is run by SAFA Gauteng, and features teams from the Local Football Associations (LFAs) that are under SAFA Gauteng.
History
The initial season featured 10 teams and was launched on 16 April 2023 with only the under-15 age group available.[14][15] In 2024, the league added the under-14 league and switch the under-15 age group to under-16.[16][17]
In the 2024 season opener for the under-16 division, Mamelodi Sundowns scored a record 14 goals in a 14-1 in over West Youth Academy.[18][19] In the under-14 division, the first matches were played on 24 March 2024 which saw 30 goals being scored in the season opener.[20]
Mamelodi Sundowns won both leagues undefeated in 2024.[21]
In 2025 the under-13 age group was added and the inaugural winners were JVW.[22][23] The winners and runners-ups of the under-17 league in 2025 qualified for the CAF U-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament-COSAFA region.[24] Refilwe were chosen to partake in the tournament as they finished third behind SAFA Academy.[25]
Champions
The list of champions and runners-up:
U/13 division
| Year | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | JVW | Refilwe |
U/15 division
| Year | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2024[21] | Mamelodi Sundowns | Tuks High School |
| 2025 | SAFA Academy | Panorama F.C. |
U/17 division
| Year | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mamelodi Sundowns | JVW |
| 2024[21] | Mamelodi Sundowns | JVW |
| 2025 | Mamelodi Sundowns | SAFA Academy |
GWDL Top 8 winners
U/13
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Refilwe | [12] |
U/15
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Panorama | Tuks High School | [12] |
U/17
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mamelodi Sundowns | JVW | [26] |
| 2026 | Mamelodi Sundowns | Refilwe | [12] |