The North-West University (NWU) Soccer Institute is flying the flag high on the international stage, with seven elite players and their mastermind head coach selected to represent the South African national university football team at the 2026 Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association (CUCSA) Games.
The regional tournament, taking place in Gaborone, Botswana, from 28 June to 5 July 2026, brings together over 1,200 student-athletes from nine southern African nations across eight sporting codes.
The Called-Up Magnificent Seven
Following a grueling University Sports South Africa (USSA) national training camp hosted at NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, the following seven NWU stars locked in their spots on the plane to Botswana:
- Aphelele Sibisi
- Xolani Masethi
- Lucky Letwaba
- Thapelo Letsholonyane
- Thiko Magada
- Lucas Seromo
- Reatlegile Kgosithebe
Coach Nkululeko Malgas to Lead the Nation
Adding to the university’s massive milestone, NWU Soccer Institute head coach Nkululeko Malgas has been officially named the head coach of the South African men’s university football team.
The national appointment caps off an extraordinary, golden month for Malgas, who just weeks ago engineered NWU’s historic promotion to the professional ranks of the Motsepe Foundation Championship after triumphing in the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs.
“Having seven players selected to represent South Africa is a proud achievement for the Soccer Institute and the university. It demonstrates that our programme continues to produce footballers capable of competing at the highest university level.” — Coach Nkululeko Malgas
With a professional league promotion secured and an international trophy hunt underway in Gaborone, the NWU Soccer Institute has firmly established itself as one of South Africa’s premier elite football development pipelines.
