The battle lines for the KwaZulu-Natal leg of the Engen Knockout Challenge were officially drawn on Tuesday, 13 June at the Hoy Park Sports Ground in Durban, as the regional phase of the tournament prepares to get underway later this month.
A total of 32 Clubs, equally split between Girls under-20 and Boys under-18, will battle it out at the Tills Crescent Sports Grounds and Hoy Park between 30 June and 2 July.
The highly anticipated tournament will see the winners advancing to the Engen Champ of Champs in Johannesburg later this year where they will meet other provincial winners and selected teams to determine which clubs walks off with national bragging rights for the year.
Speaking at the official draw for the KZN leg, which was also attended by SAFA eThekwini President, Mazwi Mkhize, and tournament ambassadors, George Maluleka and Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Engen Communications Manager, Gavin Smith said that Engen was honoured to once again be playing a key role in creating a platform for talent identification.
“As proud-sponsors of this exciting tournament, we as Engen are looking forward to another successful edition of the Engen Knockout Challenge. For the past 21-years, we have proudly laid a platform for talent development, and we wish to continue doing so, working closely with our stakeholders, the clubs and our communities,” said Smith.
Sharing their thoughts on the draw, both Maluleka and Letsholonyane said the draw produced exciting fixtures and they were looking forward to a stirring 21st edition of the Engen Knockout Challenge.
“As in previous years, the Engen Knockout Challenge will afford players an excellent opportunity to catch the eyes of talent scouts from professional clubs. We are also very excited to see Engen is providing a platform for the women’s game through the ladies’ division of the tournament, which has also drawn up some fascinating clashes”, said Maluleka.
Engen Knockout Draw Results:
Girls U20 Draw Results
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Durban Ladies | Sunflower FC | Crusaders FC | Adams City |
| Adams Academy | Westville United | Toti Ladies | Senzokuhle |
| KwaMashu Sister | Lindelani FC | Brazil | Molweni Warriors |
| DUT | Msasa | Shooting Stars | Umlazi Arsenal |
Boys U18 Draw Results
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Midlands Academy | AmaZulu FC | KZN Academy | Magic Future Stars |
| Lindelani United | Benfica | Mandeni Celtics | Nogxaza |
| New Age Development | Lanalibalele Sports Academy | Abaqulusi | Durban South Academy |
| Gamalakhe Arsenal | France | Ethekwini City Styles | Kingdom United |