Chiefs Appoint Fernando da Cruz As New Head Coach

Kaizer Chiefs have confirmed the appointment of Fernando da Cruz as their new head coach on a two-year contract, with an option to extend for a further year.

Da Cruz replaces Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, who shared the co-coaching role last season following the departure of Nasreddine Nabi, who was dismissed in October last year.

“Kaizer Chiefs are pleased to announce the appointment of Fernando da Cruz as head coach,” the club said in a statement.

“He has signed a two-year contract with a one-year option, effective from 1 July 2026.

“Born in France, Da Cruz is highly qualified and holds a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching certification in football.

“He worked briefly with Chiefs during pre-season two years ago before joining the Moroccan Football Federation, where he served as Technical Director until the end of June. He will officially take charge of Amakhosi at the beginning of July.”

Amakhosi also confirmed Da Cruz’s technical team.

“Joining him on the bench will be Assistant Coach Mahmoud Abbas, a 35-year-old Egyptian with vast experience who will add further depth to the technical team.

“The sports science portfolio will come under the direction of Julien Le Heran, who was also born in France.

“The squad returns to training on Thursday 18 June, with the assistant-coach overseeing baseline preparations before Da Cruz’s arrival in just under a fortnight’s time. On his arrival, the coach will use the few days before a pre-season camp to evaluate the team and its progress.

“The team will leave for the training camp shortly afterwards where the coaches will get more time to familiarise themselves with the players and ensure that they are ready for the challenging season ahead.

“More announcements will follow.”

Although this will be his first official role as head coach of Chiefs, Da Cruz is no stranger to the club. He previously worked with Amakhosi during their pre-season preparations two years ago as an assistant coach under Nasreddine Nabi, gaining valuable insight into the club’s culture, structures and ambitions.

Following his stint at Chiefs, Da Cruz left to join the Moroccan Football Federation as Technical Director before the 2024/25 season started.

In that role, he oversaw football development programmes and contributed to the strategic growth of the game in Morocco.

His tenure with the federation is set to conclude at the end of June before he returns to South Africa to begin a new chapter with the Soweto giants.

The appointment represents a significant step in Chiefs’ efforts to restore their status among the leading forces in South African football, with Da Cruz tasked with guiding the club back to sustained success both domestically and on the continental stage.