Fernando Da Cruz Emerges as Top Choice for Kaizer Chiefs Head Coach
Fernando Da Cruz has moved to the front of the queue to become Kaizer Chiefs’ next head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season, with the club’s technical shake-up opening the door for a return to Naturena.
Amakhosi, who finished third in the 2025/26 Betway Premiership, have already cleared the decks. Co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef are gone. Goalkeeper coach Ilyes Mzoughi and conditioning coach Majdi Safi have followed them out, underlining the scale of the restructuring.
Chiefs zero in on Da Cruz
FARPost understands Chiefs have held talks with both Frenchman Fernando Da Cruz and Portuguese coach Alexandre Dos Santos as they search for a new figurehead. Dos Santos remains in the frame, but the momentum now sits firmly with Da Cruz, who has emerged as the preferred option at this stage.
The 51-year-old (age not given in article; not adding) recently resigned from his role as Technical Coach at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), freeing him up for a club job. His name has never really left the Chiefs corridors.
Da Cruz knows the environment. Two years ago he worked inside the Chiefs setup as assistant to Nasreddine Nabi, who was then wrapping up his spell with AS FAR Rabat. During that stint, his training-ground work left a mark – structure, intensity, professionalism. Those around the club remember it.
That brief spell did more than just impress. It gave both sides time to study each other properly. Da Cruz left with a clear picture of Chiefs’ long-term vision and the way the club operates; Chiefs, in turn, got a close look at his methods and temperament.
Door open for Naturena return
Information received by FARPost indicates Da Cruz is open to taking charge at Naturena if the parties can agree terms. The willingness is there on his side. The timing, after his FRMF exit and Chiefs’ clear-out, feels deliberate.
The overhaul of the technical department has handed Chiefs room to manoeuvre as they design a new coaching structure for the coming campaign. The club is weighing up the inclusion of local coaches and support staff around the new head coach, with the final makeup of the bench still under discussion.
What is not in doubt is the urgency. Chiefs cannot afford drift.
Pre-season clock is ticking
Preparations for 2026/27 are already rolling. Chiefs are set for a pre-season camp in Germany in July, where they will test themselves against European opposition in a run of friendlies. It is the kind of tour that demands clarity on the touchline.
The squad is due back together on 22 June. By then, Chiefs are expected to have nailed down their coaching structure so that pre-season can start with a clear hierarchy and a defined plan.
While the dugout takes shape, the squad is also being rebuilt. Defender Thabo Moloisane has already agreed to join after leaving Stellenbosch FC, an early sign of the club’s intent to refresh key areas. More arrivals are expected. So are exits.
A new coach, a retooled technical team, a squad in flux, a German camp on the horizon. If Fernando Da Cruz does walk back through the doors at Naturena, he will not be stepping into a quiet club – he will be stepping into a project that demands immediate authority and a long-term imprint.
