Hilton College‘s football fields will be a hive of activity this weekend, with the Jody Momplé FA Cup bringing together 24 teams from the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands region to compete for the prestigious trophy.
The event begins with eight groups of three teams. After those teams have played each other, the competition is split into the Cup section for the first-placed sides, the Plate section for the second-placed teams, and the Bowl section for the third-placed sides.
Michaelhouse is the two-time defending champion.
In 2025, they edged out Maritzburg College for the title, winning 4-3 from the penalty spot after regulation time had ended in a goalless draw. In 2024, ‘House scraped past Ixopo, taking the title 6-5 in a penalty shootout after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw.
Ixopo was aiming for a second Jody Momplé Cup title. They won the first edition of the competition, then called the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands FA Cup, in 2011.
The hosts, Hilton College, with titles in 2017, 2018, and 2022, have won the event more often than any other school. Arguably, in 2026, they have been the most impressive of the traditional all-boys schools thus far.
Michaelhouse’s two titles have been matched by St Charles College, with wins in 2016 and 2019, and Alexandra High, with wins in 2012 and 2013.
Carter High lifted the trophy in 2014, ML Sultan Secondary claimed the honours in 2015, and Maritzburg College won in 2023.
Eight different winners in 13 editions of the Jody Momplé Cup show just how unpredictable and closely contested the competition has been in the past, and more of the same is likely when the 2026 competition is played on Saturday, 29 August, and Sunday, 30 August.
Haythorne Secondary won the Plate in 2025, edging out Umvuzo Secondary 5-4 from the spot after a thrilling 1-1 draw, while Nomaswazi High, in their first visit to the Jody Momplé Cup, walked away with the Bowl after a tight 2-1 win over Riverwood College.
GROUPS
Group A: Hilton College, Riverwood College, Grace College
Group B: Ixopo, Howick High, Etham College
Group C: St Charles College, Nomaswazi High, Weston Agricultural College
Group D: ML Sultan, Haythorne Secondary, Kokstad College
Group E: Umvuzo, Michaelhouse, St Nicholas Diocesan College
Group F: Carter High, Linpark, Treverton College
Group G: Maritzburg College, Newton, Wartburg Kirchdorf School
Group H: Alexandra High, Maritzburg Christian School, Greytown
FIXTURES
Saturday, 28 August
Zungu Field
09:00 – Hilton vs Grace (A)
10:20 – Alex vs Greytown (H)
11:40 – Grace vs Riverwood (A)
13:00 – Greytown vs Maritzburg Christian School (MCS) (H)
14:40 – Hilton vs Riverwood (A)
16:00 – MCS vs Alex (H)
Etheridge Field
09:00 – Ixopo vs Etham (B)
10:20 – Maritzburg College vs Wartburg (G)
11:40 – Etham vs Howick (B)
13:00 – Wartburg vs Newton (G)
14:40 – Howick vs Ixopo (B)
16:00 – Newton vs Maritzburg College (G)
New Field
09:00 – St Charles vs Weston (C)
10:20 – Carter vs Treverton (E)
11:40 – Weston vs Nomaswazi (C)
13:00 – Treverton vs Linpark (F)
14:40 – Nomaswazi vs St Charles (C)
16:00 – Linpark vs Carter (F)
Lombard Field
09:00 – ML Sultan vs Kokstad (D)
10:20 – Michaelhouse vs St Nicholas (E)
11:40 – Kokstad vs Haythorne (D)
13:00 – St Nicholas vs Umvuzo (E)
14:40 – Haythorne vs ML Sultan (D)
16:00 – Umvuzo vs Michaelhouse (E)
Sunday, 30 August
Zungu Field
08:00 – 3rd Group A vs 3rd Group B, Bowl QF 1
09:30 – 2nd Group A vs 2nd Group B, Plate QF 1
11:00 – 1st Group A vs 1st Group B, Cup QF 1
12:30 – Winner Plate QF 1 vs Winner Plate QF 2, Plate SF 1
14:00 – Winner Cup QF 1 vs Winner Cup QF 2, Cup SF 1
15:30 – Winner Cup SF 1 vs Winner Cup SF 2, Cup Final
Etheridge Field
08:00 – 3rd Group C vs 3rd Group D, Bowl QF 2
09:30 – 2nd Group C vs 2nd Group D, Plate QF 2
11:00 – 1st Group C vs 1st Group D, Cup QF 2
12:30 – Winner Plate QF 3 vs Winner Plate QF 4, Plate SF 2
14:00 – Winner Cup QF 3 vs Winner Cup QF 4, Cup SF 2
New Field
08:00 – 3rd Group E vs 3rd Group F, Bowl QF 3
09:30 – 2nd Group E vs 2nd Group F, Plate QF 3
11:00 – 1st Group E vs 1st Group F, Cup QF 3
12:30 – Winner Bowl QF 1 vs Winner Bowl QF 2, Bowl SF 1
15:00 – Winner Bowl SF 1 vs Winner Bowl SF 2, Bowl Final
Lombard Field
08:00 – 3rd Group G vs 3rd Group H, Bowl QF 4
09:30 – 2nd Group G vs 2nd Group H, Plate QF 4
11:00 – 1st Group G vs 1st Group G, Cup QF 4
12:30 – Winner Bowl QF 3 vs Winner Bowl QF 4, Bowl SF 2
15:00 – Winner Bowl SF 1 vs Winner Bowl SF 2, Bowl Final
