Durban City is a South African football club based in the city of Durban. Until August 2024, the club was called Maritzburg United, and was based in the city of Pietermaritzburg. In its first season under the new name, the club won promotion to the Premiership at the end of the 2024–25 National First Division season.
History
Federation Professional League The club was formed in 1981 and initially played in the Federation Professional League (FPL).
Following the end of the FPL in December 1990, Maritzburg United was not one of the six FPL clubs going forward to play in the National Soccer League.
Revival as Maritzburg United Talks to revive the club began in 2003, with Maritzburg United playing in the 2004–05 National First Division.
In 2005, the club purchased the status of Tembisa Classic in order to play in the Premiership, playing under that name in the 2005–06 South African Premiership. The club was relegated in its second season in the top tier, finishing bottom of the 2006–07 South African Premiership.
It was immediately promoted, winning the 2007–08 National First Division, and then spent consecutive seasons from 2008 until 2023 in the Premiership, before finally being condemned to the playoffs on goal difference and suffering relegation from the 2022–23 South African Premiership.
Move to Durban In August 2024, the club announced that it was changing its name to Durban City and moving from Pietermaritzburg to Chatsworth in Durban. After its relegation from the 2022–23 Premiership, the club was barred by the Msunduzi Local Municipality from using the Harry Gwala Stadium, which was reserved for Royal AM and was forced to play its home games at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban, far from its fan base. With the club incurring an extra R60 000 in expenses for each home game as a result, the club decided to rebase in Durban.
The club appointed veteran coach Gavin Hunt prior to the start of the season. With the club in mid-table, Hunt was dismissed, purportedly for not developing youth players according to the owner's wishes.
The club won the 2025–26 Nedbank Cup after a come from behind win against TS Galaxy.
Honours
Nedbank Cup: 2025–26 National First Division: 2007–08, 2024–25
Club records Most starts: Shu-Aib Walters & Peter Petersen 107 Most goals: Fadlu Davids 20 Most starts in a season: Shu-Aib Walters & Mario Booysen 35 (2012/13) Most goals in a season: Cuthbert Malajila 13 (2012/13) Record victory: 4–0 vs Bloemfontein Celtic (12/01/18, PSL) Record defeat: 0–7 vs SuperSport United (14/10/11, PSL) Source:
Record
Federation Professional League 1989 – 10th 1990 – 7th
National First Division 2004–05 – 5th
Premiership 2005–06 – 14th (as Tembisa Classic) 2006–07 – 16th (relegated)
National First Division 2007–08 – 1st Coastal Stream, Champions (promoted)
Premiership 2008–09 – 12th 2009–10 – 11th 2010–11 – 12th 2011–12 – 11th 2012–13 – 11th 2013–14 – 10th 2014–15 – 8th 2015–16 – 14th 2016–17 – 7th 2017–18 – 4th 2018–19 – 15th 2019–20 – 7th 2020–21 – 13th 2021–22 – 12th 2022–23 – 15th (relegated)
National First Division 2023–24 – 4th 2024–25 – 1st (promoted)
Premiership 2025–26 – 8th
Current squad
Notable former coaches Trott Moloto (2004) Boebie Solomons (1 July 2004 – 30 June 2005) Kosta Papić (1 July 2006 – 20 Dec 2006) Steve Komphela (1 Jan 2007 – 9 Jan 2007) Vladislav Herić (10 Jan 2007 – 6 March 2007) Mlungisi Ngubane (8 March 2007 – 30 June 2007) Ian Palmer (1 July 2007 – 10 July 2008) Gordon Igesund (15 July 2008 – 15 Nov 2009) Ernst Middendorp (16 Nov 2009 – 12 March 2011) Ian Palmer (14 March 2011 – 13 Jan 2012) Ernst Middendorp (19 Jan 2012 – 10 Oct 2013) Clinton Larsen (15 Oct 2013 – 6 Jan 2014) Steve Komphela (6 Jan 2014 – 17 June 2015) Clive Barker (25 Sep 2015 – 1 Dec 2015) Ernst Middendorp (28 Dec 2015 – 28 Nov 2016) Roger De Sa (10 Jan 2017 – 23 Mar 2017) Gavin Hunt (2025 – 2025) Sinethemba Badela (2025 – 2026) Pitso Dladla (2026 – 2026) Khalil Ben Youssef (2026 – )
References
External links
Premier Soccer League PSL Club Info (archived 7 June 2016) South African Football Association Confederation of African Football