It puts to rest speculation that the Betway Premiership was likely to now have 18 clubs next season to make up for cancelling the Royal AM membership of in an unprecedented manner earlier this month.

But instead, this gap will be closed by SAFA through its amateur ranks over the coming weeks – if the motherbody accepts, as expected.

It’s a decision taken following another board of governors [BOG] meeting on Thursday to finalise the Royal AM saga with the Durban outfit having had their membership from the professional ranks cancelled.

A few weeks ago, the same BOG gave the greenlight to the recommendation by the executive committee to terminate Royal AM via an overwhelming majority vote, meaning any points for or against the club would be expunged.

With the 2024-26 campaign soon to be concluded, it means one team from the Betway Premiership has already been removed from the equation, but the play-off and promotion round robin will continue as per norm.

The Royal AM matter has more of an impact in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, the second tier of South African football where the PSL now need three teams to be promoted from the third division because Royal AM are no longer part of the professional ranks.

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The public broadcaster understands that the PSL will request that SAFA essentially replace Thwihli Thwahla by promoting three instead of two teams from the ABC Motsepe League this time around.

The PSL will also soon officially update the log table in the topflight to reflect that all clubs will finish the season with 28 matches as points against and for Royal AM have now been formally expunged.

Finished Indian Premier League