Ixias FC women’s team will be participating at the 2023 Sasol League National Championship Tournament which will be held at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein from 16- 22 October 2023.

Ixias FC women’s teamis excited to be part of the 2023 Sasol League National Championship Tournament, which promises to be another thrilling encounter where nine provincial winners will compete to be the 2023 Sasol League National Champions.

The Sasol League provides young and aspiring women footballers opportunities at an entry level where they can pursue their football careers, aiming not only to excel but also, to achieve at the highest level within South Africa and abroad.  

Ixias FC was drawn in Group C during the launch, representing the Free State Province. “This is just an indescribable experience. Our ladies have the courage and determination to conquer. They are confident and know that something inside them is greater than any obstacle. They do not regard any opponent as an obstacle but a competition. They have what it takes to be successful football players,” said Smith Ntlangeni, Deputy Manager: Operational Sport. 

Ntlangeni added that the team worked hard to prepare for the tournament as they understand the magnitude of the tournament. “When it comes to success in tournaments like these, it is crucial for our team to be physically and psychologically fit because the standard of play is at another level. Hence, we are employing our fitness and condition coach at Thabong High-Performance Centre. We are also trying our best to organise friendly matches at least twice a week with our own U/17 Men Developmental team to enhance their strength, endurance, and performance,” he said.  

The championship will be held at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein, Free State, from 16-22 October 2023. The winner will receive a grand prize of R200 000.00, second position will receive R100 000.00, while the third-placed team will receive R60 000.00. In addition, the top two teams will be promoted to the Hollywoodbets Super League.  

“In our weekly engagement meetings with coaches, we encourage them to know and understand the status of their players, such as the balance between their fitness and fatigue, which informs the training process by influencing the required volume, intensity and density of a given session to achieve the required performance levels. We are going into this tournament with a positive mindset but also guarding against complacency because that could be the downfall of any team. We are hoping for the best and will do our best,” said Ntlangeni. 

The tournament will consist of nine group stages and three knock-out matches as follows:

1. Group stages (17 – 19 October), to be broadcasted on Sasol and SAFA social and digital media platforms,
2. Semi-finals (20 October) to be broadcasted on SABC Sports Channel,
3. Finals (22 October), to be broadcasted on SABC 1.