St Anne’s Technical High Crowned Curro Halala Cup Champions

The 2026 edition of the Curro Halala Cup lived up to its billing from the opening whistle and served football at its finest!

This truly was South Africa’s tournament. From the Western Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State and Gauteng, every corner of the country’s footballing heartland was represented, with each province stamping its unique identity on this year’s Curro Halala Cup.

The round-robin stage delivered drama right to the final whistle. The defending champions, Curro’s Northern Academy, fell to an early upset against debutants St Anne’s Technical High. The result foreshadowed their elimination on day two.

Free State schools Virginia High and St Anne’s Technical High topped their respective pools and Durban High School staged a late surge from fourth to second in Pool D, with Meridian Pinehurst continuing an impressive campaign, conceding just once throughout the tournament.

The knockout rounds that followed were just as tense. Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Mount Edmund struck early in their semi-final against Rosina Sedibane and the goal proved decisive. CBC had the better of the chances throughout an increasingly physical, end-to-end contest and held firm to seal their spot in the final.

In the other semi-final, Clapham High School and St Anne’s Technical High pitted two of the tournament’s powerhouse schools against each other. Neither side could break the deadlock, and the match finished 0-0. With no extra time in the knockout stage, it went straight to penalties. Eventually, a missed Clapham spot-kick and a converted St Anne’s Technical High School penalty settled it, sending St Anne’s through 5-4 on penalties in a nervy finish.

That set up the grand finale at HeronBridge College, with Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Mount Edmund and St Anne’s Technical High School meeting in the final for the Curro Halala Cup 2026 title and a R100,000 grand prize on the line.

‘The Curro Halala Cup is about building a football pipeline and legacy. It’s about creating opportunities, showcasing talent and giving every player a chance at something bigger,’ says Cobus Loubser, CEO of Curro.

The final brought together two provinces, Gauteng and Free State, in a disciplined and beautifully contested clash, with Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Mount Edmund and St Anne’s Technical High School battling it out for the title. St Anne’s came from 2-0 down to level the score at 2-2 before winning on penalties. CBC Mount Edmund had led the game and made St Anne’s work for the comeback, but they remained composed and showed intent to get back into the match. Their captain, Tshepang Mohoalali, who was also named Player of the Tournament, led from the front, commanding the defence and encouraging his teammates throughout the final.

As the second edition of the Curro Halala Cup ends, the tournament has once again highlighted the opportunities that sport creates for young people, both on and off the field. Young athletes gave everything they had on the pitch in their pursuit of footballing greatness.

‘The lessons these young footballers learn through teamwork, resilience and discipline will stay with them long after the final whistle blows,’ concludes Loubser. ‘What we saw across these four days was more than a competition; it was a glimpse of the next generation of South African football.’

Moraswi Semenya (Clapham High) won the Golden Glove with eight clean sheets, while Tsheamo Mosana (Waterstone College) claimed the Golden Boot with 11 goals. Meridian Pinehurst received the Spirit Award, and St Anne’s Technical High School captain Tshepang Mohoalali was named Player of the Tournament.