Released: Johannesburg. 3 July 2013.
(#SABLeague).
The SAB League National Championships 2013 will begin on Tuesday, 9th July in Stellenbosch, outside of Cape Town. Nine provincial teams and an invitational team from University Sports South Africa (USSA) will play the round robin format tournament over a week and this will culminate in the finals on Saturday, 13th July.
The SAB League (formerly known as the Castle League, SAB U21 Regional League and Regional League) is South Africa's largest senior grassroots football league under the umbrella of the South African Football Association (SAFA).
SAB is committed to the development of grassroots football development through its 13 year-long investment in the SAB League. SAB recently extended this commitment for a further 5 years, investing more than R7-million into the SAB League. This is over and above the more than R2-million invested in modern playing kits which were provided to all teams playing in this revamped SAB League.
At the SAB National Championships Public Draw recently, the games between the nine provincial teams and the 10th invitational team from USSA (University Sports South Africa) were announced.
The game schedule is as follows:
| IDAS VALLEY STADIUM , STELLENBOSCH, TUESDAY, 9 JULY | |
| Time | Match |
| 09H00 | Northern Cape vs. USSA | Eastern Cape vs. Mpumalanga |
| 11h00 | Western Cape vs. Free State | North West vs. Gauteng |
| 13h00 | Eastern Cape vs. KwaZulu Natal | USSA vs. Mpumalanga |
| 15h00 | OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY |
| 16h00 | North West vs. Limpopo | Free State vs. Gauteng |
| LENTELUS SPORTS GROUNDS (STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY), WEDNESDAY, 10 JULY | |
| Time | Match |
| 09h00 | KwaZulu Natal vs. USSA |
| 11h00 | Limpopo vs. Free State |
| 13h00 | Northern Cape vs. Mpumalanga |
| 16h00 | Western Cape vs. Gauteng |
THURSDAY, 11 JULY
| IDAS VALLEY STADIUM, THURSDAY, 11 JULY | |
| Time | Match |
| 09h00 | Western Cape vs. North West | Gauteng vs. Limpopo |
| 11h00 | Northern Cape vs. Eastern Cape | Mpumalanga vs. KwaZulu Natal |
| 13h00 | Limpopo vs. Western Cape | Free State vs. North West |
| 15h00 | KwaZulu Natal vs. Northern Cape | USSA vs. Eastern Cape |
| IDAS VALLEY STADIUM, FRIDAY, 12 JULY | |
| Time | Match |
| 10h00 | Winner Group A vs. Runner-up Group B |
| Winner Group B vs. Runner-up Group A | |
| 3rd and 4th Place Playoffs | |
| Loser Match AB1 vs. Loser Match AB2 | |
| FINALS: LENTELUS SPORTS GROUNDS (STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY), SATURDAY, 13 JULY | |
| Time | Match |
| 15h00 | Winner Match AB1 vs Winner Match AB2 |
SAB League National Championships players will participate in a two-day Youth Diversion Programme on Sunday 7th and Monday, 8th July. The programme is in partnership with local NGO, Footballers4Life, and provides players with critical life skills, amongst others, with the objective of them becoming positive influences amongst their peers and in their communities. The programme is facilitated by former local football players.
For further information, contact Azure Janneker at SAB Media and Communication on 079 505 6966
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Background
From Castle League to U21 Regional League to SAB League
The SAB League, which each year touches the lives of more than 26 000 youth across South Africa, has been the starting block for many of today's greatest players participating in the Premier Soccer League, the national team and serving on the international football stage. This is evidence that South Africa's third division league has brought significant change in the lives of the youth, their dependents and communities.
The SAB League is one of three football properties SAB uses to nurture the success of football in South Africa and underpins its more than six decade long association with the peoples' game.
SAB's support and commitment of football in South Africa takes an end-to-end approach, from the youth at grassroots level to the country's national heroes and incorporates a strong emphasis on skills development. This includes the Castle Lager Superstars and Carling Black Label Cup Coach the Coaches.
Castle Lager built on the work done by the SAB League, partnering with SAFA, last year to launch the Castle Superstars, which seeks to increase the future talent pool of South Africa's national teams by identifying talent within the SAB League and training top grassroots players.
