Marumo Gallants have been crowned the 2025 Cultural Urban Festival Africa (CUFA) Cup champions, securing a dramatic victory over rivals Siwelele FC in a penalty shootout on Sunday afternoon at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
The festival match, played amidst the FIFA international break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, saw the two Premier Soccer League clubs battle for local bragging rights and fan pride in a highly anticipated Bloemfontein derby.
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Despite the rivalry, this encounter was distinctly focused on the supporters, offering a chance for the faithful to cheer on their teams outside of the rigorous league schedule.
Shootout Drama Seals Victory for Gallants
After a tense 90 minutes of regulation time, neither side could break the deadlock, with the score remaining 0-0. The match was ultimately decided from the penalty spot, where Bahlabane Ba Ntwa emerged victorious with a 4-3 win.
This victory offers a measure of redemption for Gallants. It comes after their loss in the inaugural CUFA Cup the previous year, where they fell to Kaizer Chiefs in the final via a penalty shootout (4–2), following an identical goalless draw. The CUFA Cup has taken the place of the long-running annual Macufe Cup.
Furthermore, the win provided sweet revenge for coach Alexandre Lafitte’s charges. The team had recently suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Siwelele in their Betway Premiership clash, making this cup triumph all the more satisfying.
Celebrating Bloemfontein’s Football Revival
In a notable change for this year’s tournament, the organisers chose to focus purely on the local derby, opting not to invite a major team from outside the province.
This decision was a deliberate celebration of the vibrant Bloemfontein football revival and the pride of having two competitive PSL clubs based in the city.
Kaizer Chiefs, last year’s inaugural champions, were unable to participate due to their demanding domestic and continental fixture schedule, setting the stage for the all-Bloemfontein final between Gallants and Siwelele.
The city of Bloemfontein has truly re-established its strong presence on South Africa’s football map over the past year and a half, building impressive momentum:
International Action: The city hosted three FIFA World Cup Qualifiers where Bafana Bafana achieved notable results, beating Zimbabwe 3–1, thrashing Lesotho 3–0, and drawing 1–1 with Nigeria.
Club Football: Siwelele’s return to the city was met with an enthusiastic welcome from the Phunya Sele Sele faithful, boosting the local club scene.
Regional Tournaments: Bloemfontein also successfully hosted the 2025 COSAFA Cup, witnessing Bafana Bafana reach the final before narrowly losing out to Angola.
University Success: Capping off the recent run of victories, the University of the Free State proudly lifted the 2025 Varsity Football title just last week.
With all this success and momentum, the CUFA Cup final was not just about the trophy, but about showcasing the rich and growing football culture of the Free State’s capital.