Johannesburg
Johannesburg plays football in its townships, its office parks and its school yards, and the city has two of the biggest clubs on the continent in Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. A 5-a-side tournament comes to Gauteng in 2027 on three Johannesburg grounds, kicking off on 9 April and ending, for one team, at the World Final on 7 July.
Three grounds, three champions
Two halves of 15 minutes on a stop clock. Every team plays three group matches in a group of four, and the top two go into the playoffs, where a tie level after two halves goes to penalties. Five weeks of football on each ground leave Johannesburg with three Pitch Champions, and each goes straight to the Country Championship.
Sandton/North
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
Ekurhuleni/East
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
Soweto/South-West
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
Checking live availability...
Where small-sided football lives in Joburg
Five-a-side is a weeknight habit across Gauteng. Companies in Sandton and Midrand run office leagues on floodlit astro pitches, township teams in Soweto play on community courts, and school grounds fill up at weekends. The game is quick, loud and social, with squads that often travel together.
The MCC format keeps that pace: nine players at most, a stop clock over two 15-minute halves, 40-minute slots, groups of four and then playoffs. Any amateur team with a regular game already has the fitness and the habits to enter.
Sandton/North, Ekurhuleni/East and Soweto/South-West
The Sandton/North ground covers the north of the city, including Rosebank, Randburg, Fourways and Midrand. Ekurhuleni/East is the eastern ground, with towns such as Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni and Kempton Park. Soweto/South-West includes Orlando, Diepkloof and the areas around the FNB Stadium and Orlando Stadium.
Johannesburg is a car city, with minibus taxis carrying most commuters and the Gautrain linking Sandton, Rosebank, Midrand and the airport. Each ground runs a complete round, so a team can enter the one close to home and keep weekday travel short.
Autumn dates and the South African championship
Highveld autumn suits the Pitch Round, which opens on 9 April and ends on 9 May 2027: dry, sunny days and cool evenings. Group fixtures fill the weekends of 9, 16 and 23 April. Knockouts begin at the end of the month, and every ground settles its champion on 9 May.
Cape Town's winner is waiting at the national championship, 28 to 30 May 2027, for the Johannesburg Pitch Champions. The continental stage for Africa comes next, with the World Final on 7 July. The top award on the ladder is $5,000,000.
How MCC differs from the local weekend cup
Knockout days, corporate cups and township tournaments are plentiful in Gauteng. What MCC sets out is one season with a fixed format, $20,000 to each ground's champion and a way out of the province. Amateurs only: each side holds one Team License, names a Team President, and accepts a conduct policy of zero tolerance for every player.
The road out of Johannesburg
- 01 · 9 Apr - 9 May 2027
Pitch Round
Groups of four on every pitch, three group matches each. The top two of every group go into the playoffs, and penalties settle a level playoff tie.
$20,000 - 02 · 28-30 May 2027
Country Championship
The Pitch Champions of each country play for the national title: two halves of 15 minutes, a league table, then the playoffs.
$150,000 - 03 · 2027
Continental Championship
Country Champions compete within their region for a place on the world stage.
$500,000 - 04 · 7 Jul 2027
World Championship
A five-team mini-league, then the World Final: two halves of 15 minutes, penalties if level. One MCC World Champion.
$5,000,000
Questions from Johannesburg
How does a team enter MCC in Johannesburg?
Register on this site and pick one of Johannesburg's three grounds: Sandton/North, Ekurhuleni/East, Soweto/South-West. One Team License per team: USD 1,200 for one year until 1 March 2027 (then 2,500), or 5,000 for three years. Payment and KYC verification follow the application.
When does the tournament start in Johannesburg?
The Pitch Round runs 9 April to 9 May 2027 on all three Johannesburg grounds. The group matches are played on 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 April, the playoffs from 30 April, and each ground's final on 9 May. Pitch Champions go straight to the Country Championship on 28-30 May 2027.
How many teams can play in Johannesburg?
Up to 384: each of the three grounds takes up to 128 teams, and each needs a minimum of 64 to run its round. A full ground puts an entry on its waitlist instead of turning it away.
What can a Johannesburg team win?
$20,000 per Pitch Champion, $150,000 for the South Africa title, $500,000 continental and $5,000,000 for the World Champion - plus championship rings from Country level up.
Which Johannesburg ground suits a team from Midrand or Randburg?
Sandton is the northern ground and covers that side of the city. Teams from Midrand or Randburg can enter there, though a team living near Kempton Park may find Ekurhuleni a shorter trip. Each ground plays its own round.
Can a township team from Soweto enter without a sponsor?
Yes. One Team License covers the squad: USD 1,200 buys a year if bought before 1 March 2027 (2,500 afterwards), and 5,000 buys three. Teams are amateur, and the entry names a Team President.
Which Johannesburg teams are eligible, and can a workplace side enter?
Any amateur team can enter, whether it is a workplace side, a school old boys team or friends from the same street. One Team License covers a squad of up to nine players, a Team President is named on the entry. Amateur teams only.
What is the next step after winning a Johannesburg ground?
The Pitch Champion takes $20,000 and goes to the South Africa Country Championship on 28 to 30 May 2027, against champions from the other Johannesburg grounds and Cape Town, then toward the African stage.
Also hosting in South Africa
Nearby in Africa
Claim a pitch in Johannesburg
One Team License per team, for one year or three years. Squads of up to 9 are built in the MCC app after licensing. Registration takes the team, its coach and its Team President.
- USD1,200One year
- 5,000Three years