Carling Knockout Cup

Carling Knockout Cup
Founded1982
Region South Africa
Number of teams16
Current championsStellenbosch F.C. (1st title)
Most successful club(s)Kaizer Chiefs (13 titles)
Television broadcastersSuperSportSABC Sport
MottoFak'ugesi
WebsiteCarlingblacklabelcup.co.za
2023 Carling Knockout Cup

The Carling Knockout Cup is a South African professional football knockout competition which comprises the 16 teams in the South African Premier Division.

The competition was established in 1982 and was first known as the Datsun Challenge. Under the new NSL regime in 1984, it became known as the JPS Knockout Cup. It used this name until 1992 when it became known as the Coca-Cola Cup. It was sponsored by the drinks manufacturer until 1996, when it was replaced by the Rothmans Cup which was changed back to the Coca-Cola Cup in 2001 due to the new rules regarding tobacco sponsorship in sport. Telkom became the new sponsors in 2006 until 2020. The 2020/21 edition was cancelled after the loss of the main sponsor[1] and in August 2021 it was confirmed that the tournament would no longer be held, citing fixture congestion.[2] However the competition resumed in the 2023/24 season following a new sponsorship deal with alcoholic beverage company Carling Black Label, being renamed the Carling Knockout Cup.[3][4]

The Carling Knockout Cup is the second League cup of the PSL and cup number three of the DStv Premiership following the MTN 8 and the Nedbank Cup.

The Carling Knockout Cup was officially launched on 10 October 2023.[5]

  1. ^ "Telkom Knockout cancelled for 2020/21 season". Kick Off. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ^ "PSL chairman Irvin Khoza addresses Telkom Knockout replacement tournament". Kick Off. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  3. ^ Tshwaku, Khanyiso. "Carling Knockout Cup muscles into Telkom Knockout space in 2023, announces PSL chair". Sport. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Khoza Makes Huge Carling Black Label Cup Announcement". iDiski Times. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  5. ^ Kohler, Lorenz (10 October 2023). "Carling Knockout Explained As Draw Completed". iDiski Times. Retrieved 10 October 2023.