The Gauteng Development League is a youth association football development league launched in 2011 by SAFA Gauteng. The league is for youth development for boys in different age groups. It features clubs from all over the province of Gauteng.
History When Gauteng Development League was launched in 2017, there were just nine teams. It has grown to have 80 teams, with 20 teams in each division: U13, U15, U17 and U19.
In 2020 the league was interrupted by COVID-19.
In 2025 Siwelele bought the Premiership status of SuperSport United and took over the academy in the GDL.
Champions
U/13 Division Year Champion Runners-up 2020 Orlando Pirates School of Excellence 2021 Kaizer Chiefs Supersport United 2022 Kaizer Chiefs Supersport United 2023 Kaizer Chiefs Mamelodi Sundowns2024Kaizer ChiefsMamelodi Sundowns2025Mamelodi SundownsSupersport United
Source:
U/14 Division +YearChampionRunners-up2024Tuks High SchoolKathorus Hyper Academy2025Kaizer ChiefsMamelodi Sundowns
U/15 Division Year Champion Runners-up 2020 Mamelodi Sundowns Supersport United 2021 Kathorus Hyper Academy Mamelodi Sundowns 2022 School of Excellence Mamelodi Sundowns 2023 Kaizer Chiefs Mamelodi Sundowns2024Mamelodi SundownsKaizer Chiefs2025Mamelodi SundownsKaizer Chiefs
Source:
The league was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. There was no winner, but Mamelodi Sundowns were on top of the table at the cancellation of the league.
U/17 Division Year Champion Runners-up 2020 Bidvest Wits Kaizer Chiefs 2021 Supersport United Mamelodi Sundowns 2022 Highlands Park Kaizer Chiefs 2023 Supersport United Kaizer Chiefs2024Mamelodi SundownsRemember Elite Sports Academy 2025Mamelodi SundownsKaizer Chiefs
Source:
U/19 Division Year Champion Runners-up 2021 Kaizer Chiefs Jomo Cosmos 2022 Mamelodi Sundowns Highlands Park 2023 Highlands Park Mamelodi Sundowns2024Highlands ParksMamelodi Sundowns2025Mamelodi SundownsHighlands Park
Source:
GDL Top 8 winners
U/13 +Under 13 Top 8 winnersYearChampionRunners-upRef2024Kaizer ChiefsMamelodi Sundowns2025Kaizer ChiefsSuperSport United2026Mamelodi SundownsSiwelele
U/14 +Under 14 Top 8 winners YearChampionRunners-upRef2026Kaizer ChiefsHighlands Park
U/15 +Under 15 Top 8 winnersYearChampionRunners-upRef2024Mamelodi SundownsTuks High School2025Mamelodi SundownsKaizer Chiefs2026Mamelodi SundownsSiwelele
U/17 +Under 17 Top 8 winnersYearChampionRunners-upRef2024Kaizer ChiefsHighlands Park2025SuperSport UnitedRemember Elite Sports Academy 2026Siwelele Kaizer Chiefs
U/19 +Under 19 Top 8 winnersYearChampionRunners-upRef2024SuperSport UnitedMamelodi Sundowns2025SuperSport UnitedSAFA Transnet School of Excellence 2026Kaizer ChiefsRemember Elite Sports Academy
Gauteng Women's Development League
The Gauteng Women's Development League is a provincial girls soccer league in Gauteng. The league is run by SAFA Gauteng, and features teams from the Local Football Associations (LFAs) that are under SAFA Gauteng.
History The initial season featured 10 teams and was launched on 16 April 2023 with only the under-15 age group available. In 2024, the league added the under-14 league and switch the under-15 age group to under-16.
In the 2024 season opener for the under-16 division, Mamelodi Sundowns scored a record 14 goals in a 14-1 in over West Youth Academy. In the under-14 division, the first matches were played on 24 March 2024 which saw 30 goals being scored in the season opener.
Mamelodi Sundowns won both leagues undefeated in 2024.
In 2025 the under-13 age group was added and the inaugural winners were JVW. The winners and runners-ups of the under-17 league in 2025 qualified for the CAF U-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament-COSAFA region. Refilwe were chosen to partake in the tournament as they finished third behind SAFA Academy.
Champions The list of champions and runners-up:
U/13 division YearChampionsRunners-up 2025 JVW Refilwe
U/15 division YearChampionsRunners-up 2024 Mamelodi Sundowns Tuks High School 2025 SAFA Academy Panorama F.C.
U/17 division YearChampionsRunners-up 2023 Mamelodi Sundowns JVW 2024 Mamelodi Sundowns JVW 2025 Mamelodi Sundowns SAFA Academy GWDL Top 8 winners
U/13 +Under-13 Top 8 winners YearChampionRunners-upRef2026Mamelodi SundownsRefilwe
U/15 +Under-15 Top 8 winnersYearChampionRunners-upRef2026PanoramaTuks High School
U/17 +The winners U/17 Top 8 cupYearChampions Runners-upRef2024Mamelodi SundownsJVW2026Mamelodi SundownsRefilwe
Broadcasting The GDL and GDWL games are broadcast on the SuperSport Schools channel.
References