Nedbank Cup Draw Delivers Dream Semi-Finals – Giant-Killers Casric Stars Face Durban City
The road to the Nedbank Cup final is now clear after Monday night’s semifinal draw produced two intriguing matchups – with underdogs dominating the storyline of this year’s tournament.
Motsepe Foundation Championship side Casric Stars will travel to face Durban City FC, while Milford FC are set to take on Betway Premiership outfit TS Galaxy.
Notably, the draw kept the two remaining Betway Premiership clubs apart, creating a possibility of at least one lower-division side will reaching the final of South Africa’s premier knockout competition.
Casric Stars have emerged as one of the most captivating stories of this season’s Nedbank Cup. The Mpumalanga-based club secured their place in the semifinals for the first time in their history following a dramatic 2–1 victory over AmaZulu FC after extra time at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
The triumph extended a remarkable run for the Motsepe Foundation Championship side, who had already shocked Orlando Pirates in the previous round. In that Round of 16 clash at Orlando Stadium, Casric held their nerve to eliminate the Buccaneers in a penalty shootout, announcing themselves as genuine giant-killers in the competition.
Casric Stars FC (Image: @casricstarsfc/ X)
Standing between Casric Stars and a place in the final will be Durban City, who also required penalties to reach the last four.
Durban City advanced after a tense encounter with Lamontville Golden Arrows. The sides finished level at 1–1 before Durban City triumphed 5–4 in the shootout to secure their semifinal berth.
The other semifinal will see Milford FC face TS Galaxy in what promises to be another compelling contest.
Milford FC booked their spot after a dramatic quarterfinal against Sekhukhune United. After the teams played to a thrilling 2–2 draw, the Motsepe Foundation Championship side held their composure to win 3–2 on penalties.
TS Galaxy, meanwhile, progressed with a comfortable 2–0 victory over third-tier side Jacksa Spears.
With two Motsepe Foundation Championship clubs still in contention and both Premiership sides drawn separately, the 2026 Nedbank Cup is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable editions in recent memory.
As the semifinal fixtures approach, the big question remains: can one of the tournament’s fearless underdogs complete the ultimate fairytale and lift the trophy?
The dates, kick-off times and venues for the 2016 Nedbank Cup Semifinals will be announced in due course.