Kaizer Chiefs Target Fernando Da Cruz as New Head Coach

Kaizer Chiefs’ search for a new head coach has zeroed in on a familiar face, with Frenchman Fernando Da Cruz emerging as the frontrunner to lead Amakhosi into the 2026/27 season.

The club, fresh from a third-place finish in the 2025/26 Betway Premiership, has already swung the axe on its previous technical setup. Co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef are out. Goalkeeper coach Ilyes Mzoughi and conditioning coach Majdi Safi have also departed, underlining the scale of the reset underway at Naturena.

This is not a tweak. It is a clear break from what came before.

Da Cruz Steps to the Front

FARPost understands that Chiefs have held discussions with both Fernando Da Cruz and Portuguese coach Alexandre Dos Santos as they work through a shortlist of candidates. Dos Santos remains in the frame, but all signs now point towards Da Cruz as the club’s preferred option at this stage.

The timing is no coincidence. Da Cruz recently resigned from his role as Technical Coach at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), freeing him up just as Chiefs move into the decisive phase of their planning.

He is not a stranger to the club, either. Two years ago, Da Cruz operated within the Chiefs environment as assistant to Nasreddine Nabi, who was still wrapping up his tenure with AS FAR Rabat at the time. That stint, though brief, left a mark.

Those inside Naturena speak of the structure he brought to training sessions, the intensity of his methods, and the professionalism that underpinned his day-to-day work. In a club that demands both style and steel, those details matter.

That earlier spell also allowed both sides to look each other in the eye. Chiefs gained a clearer sense of Da Cruz’s football philosophy and personality; he, in turn, learned the club’s long-term vision, its internal dynamics, and the expectations that come with the badge.

Open Door at Naturena

Information received by FARPost indicates that Da Cruz is open to taking charge at Chiefs if the two parties can finalise an agreement. The interest is mutual. The pathway is clear. Now it becomes a matter of negotiation and timing.

The sweeping changes in the technical department give Chiefs room to build a more flexible and modern structure around the next head coach. The club is understood to be weighing up the inclusion of local coaches and support staff to complement the new man at the helm, though the final makeup of the bench remains under discussion.

What is not in doubt is the urgency. The calendar will not wait.

Clock Ticking Before Germany Camp

Preparations for the new campaign are already accelerating. Chiefs are set to regroup on 22 June, a key date in the club’s pre-season schedule. By then, the hierarchy is expected to have the coaching structure in place, or at the very least, the head coach confirmed.

Soon after, Amakhosi are due to jet off to Germany in July for a pre-season training camp. There, they will test themselves against European opposition in a series of friendly matches designed to sharpen fitness, refine tactics, and bed in new ideas.

Arriving in Europe without a clear technical leader would undermine the very purpose of that camp. Chiefs know this. The pressure to close out the Da Cruz deal – or pivot decisively if talks falter – grows with every passing day.

Squad Rebuild Underway

While the coaching puzzle edges towards a conclusion, the playing squad is already being reshaped.

Thabo Moloisane has agreed to join Chiefs following his exit from Stellenbosch FC, the first confirmed addition in what is expected to be a busy window. More arrivals are on the horizon, and several exits are anticipated as the club continues a broader rebuild aimed at turning promise into silverware.

Third place in the league offers a platform, not a destination. Chiefs want more. They want trophies, identity, and a team that reflects the scale of their support.

Whether Fernando Da Cruz becomes the man trusted to deliver that will be decided in boardrooms, not on the pitch. But with the squad due back, Germany looming, and a fan base demanding clarity, the next signature on a contract at Naturena could define the club’s trajectory for years to come.