The MultiChoice Diski Challenge season launched on the 9th of August 2019 in Umlazi, Durban, KwaZulu Natal

The newly expanded MultiChoice Diski Challenge season launched on 9 August 2019 in Umlazi, Durban, KwaZulu Natal and the MultiChoice Group (MCG) is proud of the role that the competition continues to play in the development of local talent, on and off the field of play.

The MultiChoice Diski Challenge provides aspiring academy and reserve team players a platform to develop their skills by playing regularly in a competitive league and it gives them exposure to the rigours of training and expectations of professional football, thereby increasing their chances of getting promoted to the first teams.

As Africa’s leading sports development investor and broadcaster, MCG invests over R2 billion in sports and produces 700 live sports productions each year, as well as providing access to 37 sports channels, including six community channels. In addition, all MultiChoice Diski Challenge matches are played in local communities and entrance is free to ensure that professional football is widely and easily accessible.

“We are proud of the role we play in empowering the sports and entertainment supply chain through our investments in infrastructure, technology and empowerment initiatives, which in turn supports local business and communities,” says Joe Heshu, MultiChoice Group Executive for Corporate Affairs.

Now in its sixth season, the Diski Challenge involves over 500 young footballers each year. This year’s expansion will see an increase in the number of matches from 120 to 240, and additional festival weekends, thereby increasing the tournament’s reach to local communities. The matches that will be broadcast live will increase from 40 to over 70, giving the broadcast internship programme more exposure throughout the tournament. This will help build content capacity for the community TV stations.

First team starting XIs of clubs like Bloemfontein Celtic, Cape Town City, Golden Arrows, Bidvest Wits, AmaZulu and Kaizer Chiefs boast several Diski Challenge graduates. Many of the players have even been offered exciting opportunities in international leagues too.

“We are proud to see an increasing number of young players progressing from Diski to PSL, but it’s even more exciting to see them excel at that level and make their mark in South African football. With this expansion, we look forward to seeing more young talent emerge strongly from the Diski Challenge,” concludes Heshu.

The MultiChoice Diski Challenge plays a critical role in delivering on MultiChoice’s stated objective of ‘enriching lives.’