4 South African Teams to Manage in Football Manager 2021

South Africa is Football Manager’s 2021 only playable country in Africa and therefore the only way to play in the African Champions League.

South Africa is Football Manager’s 2021 only playable country in Africa and therefore the only way to play in the African Champions League.

Managing in South Africa will be one of your stops if you are undertaking the incredible Pentagon challenge in Football Manager.

Sundowns have recently dominated the league who have won the league five times out of the previous seven. This list will give you some idea of who to manage in South Africa.

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Kaizer Chiefs

The name of the indie rock band from Yorkshire and one of South Africa’s most successful football clubs. Kaizer Chiefs are second only to the dominant Sundowns in terms of league wins. 

To make the challenge of overtaking Sundowns harder, the Chiefs begin the game with a two transfer window ban for signing a player illegally.

The squad is good though. In goal, the Chiefs have Itumeleng Khune who has long been Football Manager favourite because of his excellent ability and low price. 

Meanwhile, the team's right side is extremely strong with both Zimbabwean winger Khama Billiat and wing back Reeve Frosler. 

The club also have great youth facilities and excellent training facilities but also high expectations. Kaiser Chiefs will be an extremely challenging yet fun save

Orlando Pirates

Soweto based Orland Pirates are one of the South African football giants having won the top division four times and the cup eight teams. The Pirate’s last league title came back in 2012 though, so the Buccaneers are desperate to end the dry spell.

Orlando Stadium is a 40,000-seater which sells out for the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs. The rivalry is one of the most fiercely contested derbies in world football. In fact, 87,353 people attended one of the more recent Derbies. 

The big stadium is coupled with excellent training facilities and good youth facilities which put the Pirates in a good position to deliver results on the pitch.

In a squad littered with internationals from across Africa, Namibian born paceman Deon Hotto is a dynamic option down the wing. 

And experienced South African international Thulani Hlatshwayo is a solid defender.

Stellenbosch FC

Stellenbosch founded recently in 2016 after the relocation of Vasco de Gama to the Western Cape of South Africa. The club obtained promotion to the Premier League in 2019.

Stellenbosch will be in a relegation fight, and your job will be to keep them up using the squad at hand and the strong youth system. 

Argentine attacker Junior Mendieta is a star player going forward. Meanwhile, Zambian ball-winner Nathan Sinkala provides grit and determination in midfield, and Robyn Johannes is a veteran at the back.

Jomo Cosmos

Jomo Cosmos play in the South African National First Division. Founded in 1983, they were named after former South African footballer Jomo Sono, who played in the NASL for New York alongside Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. His name and club were combined together to create the name Jomo Cosmos. Bringing that New York Cosmos style quality to the club will be an exciting aim.

The club spent most of the ’90s and early 2000s in the Premier League before yo-yo-ing between the top and second tier. However, it’s now been five seasons since the Cosmos played in South Africa’s highest league.

The challenge to get the club back to Premier League is not easy as the squad looks mediocre. However, Nigerian defender Stanley Umukoro is a leader at the back while fellow Nigerian Kizito Obi is a dynamic midfielder. The squad needs rebuilding to get away from mid-table and to push for promotion.