Top 10 Richest Teams In South Africa (2023)

An interesting list of the richest teams in South Africa and their net worth presently. The dream of every football club is to gain the kind of status that Manchester United and Real Madrid have achieved. Play attractive football, fill up their stadiums weekly, attract mouth-watering sponsorship and endorsement deals that rake in millions of dollars and gain loyal fans all over the world.

The reality, however, is far from easy. The kind of competition for talent that exists in football today is in itself reason enough for clubs to go bankrupt. That is why it is important that we celebrate our own; we must applaud those soccer clubs that are successful and have made money. That is exactly what we do with this article.

In this article, we want to highlight the richest football clubs in South Africa, and talk about their brands; where the money comes from. We shed light briefly on their history and see what lessons we can draw from their success.

Top 10 Richest Teams In South Africa

#	Teams/Clubs	Net Worth (Estimated)
1.	Mamelodi Sundowns	$11m
2.	Kaizer Chiefs	$9.1m
3.	Supersport United	$7.9m
4.	Bidvest Wits	$7.4m
5.	Orlando Pirates	$6.9m
6.	Platinum Stars	$6.1m
7.	Cape Town City	$5.8m
8.	Bloemfontein City	$5.1m
9.	Chippa United	$4.4m
10.	Ajax Cape Town	$4.2m

Richest Football Clubs In South Africa

1. Mamelodi Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns is perhaps the most successful football club in South Africa. The club which is well established in South Africa, with the largest fan base in the land, is located in Tshwane. Sundowns was officially established as a professional football club in 1970 and became part of the National Soccer League in 1983.

Mamelodi Sundowns has won the Premier Soccer League title nine times. Their trademark Yellow Shirts (reminiscent of the Brazil team) is the most popular in South Africa and sells high quantities yearly. The team regularly sells out its stadium, and the team is very much courted by big brands who are eager to enter sponsorship deals with the club; either for shirt sponsorship deals or to display their brands in their stadium.

The club is estimated to be worth around $11 million dollars making them the richest club in South Africa.

2. Kaizer Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs is a Premier Soccer League club which was formed in 1970, by a man named Kaizer Motaung who returned from the USA and founded the football club. The club is situated in Naturena, Johannesburg.

Kaizer Chiefs is one of the more famous football clubs; it is nicknamed Amakhosi. In the Premier Soccer League, Kaizer Chiefs has built a rather lucrative rivalry with Orlando Pirates. Kaizer Chiefs is quite a money-spinning establishment; they sell out their stadiums, have juicy endorsement deals, and send out a High number of players to European leagues.

The club is estimated to be worth about $9.1 million.

3. Supersport United

Supersport United is a South African football club based in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. The club is a subsidiary of Media and sports marketing brand Supersport which is under the Multichoice brand. The football club’s nickname is Matsatsantsa a Pitori, and it plays in the Premier Soccer League.

The club regularly attracts large crowds to its home Lucas Moripe Stadium, the club is well supported by Multichoice, shirt sales is good, and they also sell players abroad. Supersport United is said to be worth about $7.9 million making them the third richest team in South Africa.

4. Bidvest Wits

Bidvest Wits is a popular football club located in Braamfontein, in Johannesburg. The club has been given the nickname ‘The Students’ because of its affiliation with the University of the Witwatersrand. Bidvest Wits was formed as a football team in 1921 by the Students’ Representative Council of the University of Witwatersrand and joined the South African National League in 1975.

The team is well supported, and their matches are well attended. The team makes good money from ticket sales. The team is also well courted by brands trying to market their products.

Bidvest Wits is estimated to be worth about $7.4 million.

5. Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates is situated in Houghton, Johannesburg. The football club was founded in 1937 as Orlando Soweto. But when it moved to Houghton, Johannesburg, the name change became necessary. the club is very competitive and successful; It set the record of winning the Premier Soccer League title for three years in a row.

The club is well supported by its loud and noisy supporters who regularly gather in large crowds to watch their games, and the club regularly sells players abroad.

Orlando Pirates is currently the fifth richest team in South Africa with an estimated to be worth $6.9 million.

6. Platinum Stars

Platinum Stars FC is a South African football club based in Phokeng in the North West Province. The club has been in existence since 1937 when it was established as an amateur side. It first participated in the Premier Soccer League during the 2003-2004 season.

Platinum Stars FC sells players abroad and is supported by big brands. The club is said to be worth $6.1 million.

7. Cape Town City

Cape Town City is a football club located in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town City FC was formed in 1960 and was then re-branded in 2016. It is the darling team of the city of Cape Town, whose residents pour into the Cape Town Stadium to watch its matches.

Cape Town City is one of the wealthiest football clubs in South Africa is said to worth about $5.8 million.

8. Bloemfontein Celtic

Bloemfontein Celtic is a South African professional football club situated in Bloemfontein. The team was founded in 1969, and in the early ’80s, it was sold to Petrus “Whitehead” Molemela after its founders experienced financial challenges. The club’s nickname is Phunya Sele Sele, and its home matches are played at the Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium.

Bloemfontein Celtics are worth somewhere around $5.1 million.

9. Chippa United

Chippa United is a South African football club located in Port Elizabeth. It was founded in January 2010. The club is one of the South African football clubs which is on the ascendancy; gaining popularity and a huge fan-base. The club has been given the nickname Chilli Boys.

The club continues to attract huge crowds to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium despite the fact that the team is one of the youngest teams in the Premier Soccer League.

Chippa United FC is worth about $4.4 million making it the ninth richest club in South Africa.

10. Ajax Cape Town

Ajax Cape Town is a South African football based in Cape Town. It was founded in 1999 after the merging of two teams, Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars. The club has been given the nickname is Urban Warriors.

The team continues to draw big crowds to the Cape Town Stadium where it hosts its home games. The club is said to be worth $4.2 million.

Conclusion:

Football is lucrative relative to the economy of the country in which it is played; without the patronage of huge crowds at its games, sponsorship deals, and shirt sales, it would not be possible for football clubs to be profitable. We can therefore say that the richest teams in South Africa are prosperous because South Africa is prosperous.