Summary
The South African Premier Division (RSA1), or Absa Premiership, is the top professional level league-style competition in South Africa. At the end of the 2019-2020 RSA1 season, the RSA1 teams qualify for non-league play:
- 2020-2021 CAF Champions League:
- 1st and 2nd place 2019-2020 RSA1 teams
- 2020-2021 CAF Confederation Cup:
- 3rd place 2019-2020 RSA1 team
Leagues Pyramid - South Africa
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| RSA1 | Absa Premiership | 16 |
| RSA2 | National First Division | 16 |
| RSA3 | SAFA Second Division | 144 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| 3 Aug 2019 - 5 Sep 2020 | 16: RSA1 (14 minimum), RSA2 (2 maximum) | ||
Season Format
Each RSA1 team plays Home-Away matches with the other 15 RSA1 teams for a total of 30 league matches. Table ranking ties are broken by (1) goal difference, (2) goals scored, (3) head-to-head points, (4) head-to-head goal difference, (5) head-to-head goals scored, then (6) a playoff.
Playoffs
Not applicable.
Relegation
At the end of the 2019-2020 season, the 16th place RSA1 team will be relegated to the RSA2, and the 1st place RSA2 team wil be promoted to the 2020-2021 RSA1. The 15th place RSA1 team enters into a Promotion/Relegation Playoff with the 2nd and 3rd place RSA2 teams. In this playoff, each team plays Home-Away matches against the other 2 teams. The team with the most points plays in the 2020-2021 RSA1, while the other 2 teams play in the 2020-2021 RSA2.
More Info...
Relegation Playoffs
| Group | League | Home | Road | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Black Leopards FC (RSA2) | 4 | 4 -0-0 | 12 | - | 8 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 -0-0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | Ajax Cape Town (RSA1) | 4 | 2 -0-2 | 6 | - | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 | 1 -0-1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | TTM (RSA2) | 4 | 0 -0-4 | 0 | - | 5 | 13 | -8 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 2 | 0 -0-2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | -2 |
Promotion to RSA1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| 06.09.20 |  | 32 | TTM | Rand Stadium |
| 09.09.20 |  | 10 | Ajax Cape Town | FNB Stadium (Soccer City) |
| 12.09.20 | | 13 | Black Leopards FC | BidVest Stadium |
| 15.09.20 | | 15 | Ajax Cape Town | BidVest Stadium |
| 18.09.20 | | 02 | Black Leopards FC | Rand Stadium |
| 21.09.20 | | 21 | TTM | FNB Stadium (Soccer City) |
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Mamelodi Sundowns FC | 30 | 17 -8-5 | 59 | - | 43 | 22 | 21 | 15 | 10 -3-2 | 33 | 20 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 7 -5-3 | 26 | 23 | 15 | 8 |
| 2 | Kaizer Chiefs FC | 30 | 17 -6-7 | 57 | - | 48 | 27 | 21 | 15 | 8 -3-4 | 27 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 9 -3-3 | 30 | 25 | 14 | 11 |
| 3 | Orlando Pirates FC | 30 | 14 -10-6 | 52 | - | 40 | 29 | 11 | 15 | 9 -5-1 | 32 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 4 | Bidvest Wits FC | 30 | 14 -10-6 | 52 | - | 33 | 22 | 11 | 15 | 8 -4-3 | 28 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 6 -6-3 | 24 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| 5 | SuperSport United FC | 30 | 14 -8-8 | 50 | - | 43 | 26 | 17 | 15 | 8 -6-1 | 30 | 29 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 6 -2-7 | 20 | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| 6 | Cape Town City FC | 30 | 11 -9-10 | 42 | - | 40 | 37 | 3 | 15 | 9 -3-3 | 30 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 2 -6-7 | 12 | 19 | 25 | -6 |
| 7 | Maritzburg United FC | 30 | 10 -12-8 | 42 | - | 29 | 27 | 2 | 15 | 6 -6-3 | 24 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 15 | 4 -6-5 | 18 | 13 | 15 | -2 |
| 8 | Bloemfontein Celtic FC | 30 | 9 -12-9 | 39 | - | 43 | 39 | 4 | 15 | 7 -6-2 | 27 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 2 -6-7 | 12 | 15 | 24 | -9 |
| 9 | Highlands Park FC | 30 | 9 -12-9 | 39 | - | 31 | 35 | -4 | 15 | 8 -3-4 | 27 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 1 -9-5 | 12 | 11 | 20 | -9 |
| 10 | Stellenbosch FC | 30 | 9 -9-12 | 36 | - | 26 | 34 | -8 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 15 | 3 -4-8 | 13 | 15 | 21 | -6 |
| 11 | Chippa United FC | 30 | 8 -10-12 | 34 | - | 18 | 26 | -8 | 15 | 4 -7-4 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 4 -3-8 | 15 | 10 | 19 | -9 |
| 12 | Golden Arrows FC | 30 | 8 -10-12 | 34 | - | 23 | 35 | -12 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 2 -5-8 | 11 | 7 | 19 | -12 |
| 13 | AmaZulu FC | 30 | 7 -9-14 | 30 | - | 20 | 33 | -13 | 15 | 4 -5-6 | 17 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 15 | 3 -4-8 | 13 | 10 | 15 | -5 |
| 14 | Baroka FC | 30 | 7 -8-15 | 29 | - | 19 | 28 | -9 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 11 | 15 | -4 | 15 | 4 -3-8 | 15 | 8 | 13 | -5 |
| 15 | Black Leopards FC | 30 | 8 -5-17 | 29 | - | 27 | 44 | -17 | 15 | 6 -3-6 | 21 | 15 | 16 | -1 | 15 | 2 -2-11 | 8 | 12 | 28 | -16 |
| 16 | Polokwane City FC | 30 | 7 -4-19 | 25 | - | 25 | 44 | -19 | 15 | 5 -2-8 | 17 | 16 | 22 | -6 | 15 | 2 -2-11 | 8 | 9 | 22 | -13 |
CAFCL CAFCC Relegation Playoffs Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
 | 11 | Kaizer Chiefs FC | BidVest Stadium |
 | 10 | Golden Arrows FC | Orlando Stadium |
 | 31 | Maritzburg United FC | ABSA Tuks Stadium |
 | 10 | SuperSport United FC | Loftus Versfeld Stadium |
 | 31 | Polokwane City FC | FNB Stadium (Soccer City) |
 | 10 | Stellenbosch FC | Emirates Airline Park |
 | 30 | Black Leopards FC | Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium |
 | 11 | Highlands Park FC | Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium |
| 00 | Bloemfontein Celtic FC | Emirates Airline Park |
| 11 | AmaZulu FC | ABSA Tuks Stadium |
| 01 | Orlando Pirates FC | Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium |
| 10 | Bidvest Wits FC | FNB Stadium (Soccer City) |
| 10 | Chippa United FC | Orlando Stadium |
| 10 | Cape Town City FC | Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium |
| 41 | Baroka FC | BidVest Stadium |
| 03 | Mamelodi Sundowns FC | Loftus Versfeld Stadium |
| 01 | Baroka FC | Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium |
| 10 | Kaizer Chiefs FC | FNB Stadium (Soccer City) |
| 00 | Polokwane City FC | ABSA Tuks Stadium |
| 14 | Cape Town City FC | Emirates Airline Park |