St Anne’s Technical High School turned a 2-0 deficit into a title-winning comeback to claim the 2026 Curro Halala Cup at HeronBridge College.

The Free State side levelled the final against Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Mount Edmund at 2-2 before winning on penalties, securing the R100,000 grand prize and first place in the 24-team tournament.

CBC Mount Edmund had led the match and forced St Anne’s to fight their way back into contention. St Anne’s captain Tshepang Mohoalali, later named Player of the Tournament, led from defence and kept his teammates organised through the final.

Defending champions exit early

The tournament brought together schools from the Western Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State and Gauteng.

The round-robin stage delivered one of the competition’s early turning points when defending champions Northern Academy lost to debutants St Anne’s Technical High. The result pointed to a difficult title defence, and Northern Academy were eliminated on day two.

Free State schools Virginia High and St Anne’s Technical High topped their respective pools, while Durban High School moved from fourth to second in Pool D after a late surge. Meridian Pinehurst also built a strong campaign, conceding only once during the tournament.

Semi-finals set up Gauteng-Free State final

Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Mount Edmund reached the final after scoring early against Rosina Sedibane in their semi-final. CBC created the better chances in a physical, end-to-end match and protected their lead to move into the title match.

The other semi-final needed penalties after Clapham High School and St Anne’s Technical High played to a 0-0 draw. With no extra time in the knockout stage, the match went straight to a shootout. A missed Clapham penalty and a converted St Anne’s spot-kick gave St Anne’s a 5-4 win on penalties.

That result sent St Anne’s into the final against CBC Mount Edmund, bringing Free State and Gauteng together in the deciding match.

‘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.

Awards and final rankings

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

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

Final tournament rankings