SuperSport United in negotiations for a women's football team - Stan Matthews

United will need to finalize their partnership negotiations before they submit all the documentation to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the deadline from CAF being 30 June. 

Matthews says they now have to decide which of the two Hollywoodbets Super League team they will go with.

"We don't have a choice because I can't comply with the CAF requirements without an existing deal. These two clubs have both expressed their willingness to partner with us mid-season which is obviously the important criteria for us," he said. 

JVW FC, a club that is partly owned by Banyana Banyana captain Janine Van Wyk and recently came close to selling its status to Kaizer Chiefs before the negotiations broke down amid the talks of a R9,8 million asking fee, is also in negotiation with Amatsatsansa. 

"When I first approached them, they weren't prepared to have "Amatsatsansa" as part of their name, so they weren't on the list because that was part of our criteria. Our criteria were that whichever franchise it is, it will add the name Amatsatsansa to its name. So, apparently, they've had a second thought about that," the CEO explained.

"Then there's another very respectable club in the Hollywoodbets that we like their operation, then we like their structure and we like some of the things that they're doing but again as I said it will go to my board. I've got a fantastic board with clear-minded heads as to where we can add value."

With United already playing their matches at the TUT stadium in Pretoria and the club also looking to revive its old partnership with the tertiary institution, indications are that they will go for TUT’s status. What has put United and other Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs at ease is the new CAF Club Licensing rules, which require a team to have a women’s team and operate it or have a written agreement with another entity that operates the team. Matthews says they are going for the latter and it helps them a lot.

"I think it really helps us because to start a fully-fledged women's team on our own is very difficult for us to do. So, to be able to partner with an existing setup that is sustainable, that has good brand values, that shows good potential, that if they had a little bit of extra support they could achieve something. So, that's the kind of brand that we are looking to partner with."