A new era in South African women’s football arrived in spectacular style as the revamped Hollywoodbets Super League officially launched its highly anticipated festival format at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium in Soweto on Friday, 22 May 2026.
Moving away from the traditional 16-team national league table, the tournament now features two distinct streams of eight teams each, the Super Era and the Super Rise. The Super Rise stream took centre stage for the lone, curtain-raising fixture on the opening day, delivering a high-octane encounter that set a glittering standard for the rest of the weekend’s action.
League heavyweights JVW FC welcomed top-flight newcomers Ramatlaohle Ladies FC to the big stage with a resounding 4-1 victory. The debutants from Limpopo, fresh from their hard-earned promotion from the Sasol League National Championship, showed immense heart and tactical discipline in the early exchanges, refusing to be overawed by the grand stage and the television cameras.
Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, finding space inside the box to drill home the opening goal of the campaign and spark wild celebrations from the Blue Diamonds bench. The newcomers proved they belong at this level just four minutes later, as Thabiso Mohlala pounced on a momentarily static defence to fire a stunning equaliser in the 28th minute and draw Ramatlaohle Ladies FC level.
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The debutants held firm for the remainder of the first half, heading into the tunnel with a deserved 1-1 scoreline built on relentless defensive shifting and crucial interventions from goalkeeper Esther Seefane, who later picked up a caution alongside teammates Tebogo Mnisi and Reception Nkadimeng as the intensity grew.
The second half tested the tactical depth and conditioning of both sides. Guided by the leadership and vision of captain Robyn Moodaly-Salgado in the heart of midfield, JVW FC gradually asserted complete control over the tempo of the game.
The breakthrough came in the 71st minute when veteran forward Nompumelelo Nyandeni used all her experience to restore the lead for the clinical Blue Diamonds. With the momentum firmly in their favour, the senior players unlocked the tiring Limpopo defence.
Bonolo Mokoma extended the cushion to 3-1 in the 78th minute with a beautifully taken strike, before Julia Goncalves put the gloss on an emphatic performance, sealing the 4-1 victory in the 84th minute. The result sends JVW FC straight to the summit of the Super Rise stream standings with three crucial points and a healthy goal difference.
With the opening day delivering immediate drama, the festival shifts into overdrive on Saturday.
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The Super Era stream takes over the morning and afternoon sessions with blockbuster fixtures, including Copperbelt Ladies FC against Richmond United Ladies, followed by a heavyweight clash between TS Galaxy Queens and the University of the Western Cape. Later in the day, host institution University of Johannesburg FC takes the field, ensuring that the momentum established on opening night carries through a historic weekend for domestic women’s football.
Main Photo Caption: Player of the Match Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado and JVW FC launched the 2026 Hollywoodbets Super League festival format with a commanding 4-1 result over newcomers Ramatlaohle Ladies FC at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium, climbing to the summit of the Super Rise stream in its highly-anticipated festival format at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium in Soweto on Friday, 22 May 2026. Photo: JVW FC
