AmaZulu To Utilise Kings Park Stadium
AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu has confirmed the club will play its home matches at three different venues next season, including Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium.
The club’s primary home ground will remain Moses Mabhida Stadium, but they will also utilize Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium, venue of Durban rugby side the Sharks, and Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu.
The move to Kings Park Stadium brings back fond memories for the club, as it was the venue for their most successful PSL season in 2020/21, where they finished second and qualified for the CAF Champions League.
Initially, AmaZulu had listed King Zwelithini Stadium as an alternative, but they have since changed their plans. This is because Golden Arrows have now selected King Zwelithini Stadium as their primary home venue, moving away from Mpumalanga Stadium.
It is not known what Arrows influenced to change their minds, but Mpumalanga is hampered by poor road conditions, and Arrows experienced a lack of local support in Mpumalanga.
“The issue of venues, Moses Mabhida, we have chosen it as our main venue,” said Zungu.
“It’s been our main venue for the last couple of seasons, and we are enjoying a very good relationship with the stadium management.
“They roll up a red carpet for us when we expect red card carpet, so we have got no reasons to be worried about that.
“Our alternative stadium would have been King Zwelithini Stadium, but we always knew that Zwelithini Stadium was Richards Bay’s shoe-in venue.
“So, when Lamontville Golden Arrows confirmed and said, ‘That is their first home venue, number one venue,’ we thought it is proper that we respect them.
“People want to ‘plant’ their own thing so for us to retreat,” much to the laughter of the media in the background when Zungu said that.
“So, we will not be playing our games at King Zwelithini Stadium this season. We have Princess Magogo Stadium; we are going to KwaMashu. We are happy to go back to KwaMashu. Our fans have been demanding to bring back the team to that venue.
“It is our second alternative field, and the other alternative field is Kings Park Stadium, just across. We own the precinct; we are the king of this precinct.
“When Moses Mabhida sometimes hosts events, we will move across. We are under an obligation to play a certain number of games here, which is Moses Mabhida Stadium, but we want to spread the goodwill.”
Zungu also mentioned the possibility of playing some home games at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg. This move would fill a void for local football fans after Royal AM became defunct.
“There are even talks that we must take some of our home games to Pietermaritzburg. People of uMgungundlovu will be starved off (top flight) football since Royal AM is no more,” said Zungu.
“Since Durban City will play in Chatsworth Stadium. So, we may want to take that goodwill to that field. I don’t know whether it is practical at this stage, but it is one of the ideas that came out in the last couple of days.
“But you are right that we have Moses Mabhida Stadium, Kings Park Stadium, as well as Princess Magogo Stadium.”
In a related note, Natal Rich Boys’ move to Umhlathuze Stadium may face issues. The venue’s pitch appeared to be in poor condition during the KZN Premier’s Cup tournament this past weekend, with visible sand in many areas. Richards Bay may need to play some home matches in Durban until the surface is improved.
