The Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League will kick off this weekend, with defending champions FC Ravens tussling with newly promoted United FC at Mphuthumi Mafumbatha Stadium in Bizana on Saturday.
The Ravens represented the province at the national soccer playoffs but couldn’t achieve their objective of promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Their journey to crack the ceiling will start against a team playing in the regional league last season.
United, from the OR Tambo region, together with Prides AFC from Buffalo City, were promoted in the recent playoffs.
Old Grey, beaten finalists in the provincial decider against the Ravens, will face Sunday River Valley Academy in the coastal stream at NMU on Sunday.
GQ Cavaliers, who will be making their debut after recently purchasing a status in the third-tier league, will host Mdantsane’s Buffalo City Relatives at the same venue on Saturday.
Prides play Camdeboo Football Academy at North End Stadium in KuGompo City.
Other games in the coastal stream will be between Seven Stars and Amavarara at the Dumpy Adams in Komani, and Makana Rhini United up against Gqeberha United at Rhodes University.
In the inland stream, Sinenkani will play Matta Milan at the Mafumbatha Stadium as the curtain-raiser to the Ravens’ game.
University of Fort Hare, who are rookies in the league, will have their first taste of the competition against Bizana Pondo City at home in Dikeni.
Komani United will play in the inland stream for the first time after crossing from the coastal stream.
The Chris Hani team will travel to eMaxesibeni to face local team Amaxesibe.