Inaugural Carling Knockout champions will walk away with a cool R6.6m

The inaugural Carling Knockout champions will take home R6.6m, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced. 

Eyebrows were raised on Tuesday when the tournament was launched to much fanfare in Johannesburg, but with no announcement on the prize money. 

However, the PSL has confirmed that the purse for the tournament, which has replaced the Telkom Knockout, is R20.2m. 

The league also announced that all 16 participants will receive a participation fee of R250,000. This will go a long way for clubs run on shoestrings. 

The tournament will start on October 18 with TS Galaxy hosting Mamelodi Sundowns at Mbombela Stadium. The second match, two days later, will see Orlando Pirates host Cape Town Spurs at Orlando Stadium. 

Full Carling Knockout last-16 fixtures:

• Wednesday October 18: TS Galaxy v Sundowns (7.30pm, Mbombela Stadium) 
• Friday October 20: Pirates v CT Spurs (7.30pm, Orlando Stadium) 
• Saturday October 21:
  • Arrows v CT City (3pm, Mpumalanga Stadium);
  • Chippa v Stellenbosch (3pm, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium);
  • Chiefs v AmaZulu (6pm, FNB Stadium); and
  • Sekhukhune v Royal AM (8.15pm, New Peter Mokaba)  
• Sunday October 22:
  • Richards Bay v Swallows (3pm, King Zwelithini Stadium); and
  • SuperSport v Polokwane City (6pm, TUT Stadium).