Cape Town City star Gabriel Amato, 20, has set his sights on winning automatic promotion to the Premier League with the Citizens.
City are in their second season [in the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC)](https://www.sowetan.co.za/sport/2026-08-28-five-teams-chase-back-to-back-victories-in-mfc/) after their relegation at the end of the 2024/25 season.
“Winning automatic promotion with City is my target, of course,” Amato said. “Even last season our goal was to win the league, so we want to take that one step further this season because we came second last season ... we are pushing for that title. We can do it.”
Amato has been one of City’s best players since the club’s relegation to the second tier. The SA Under-23 international star is enjoying being a regular, albeit admitting football in the MFC isn’t glamorous. Amato confessed he misses playing at the top level, though he knows he should focus on the job at hand.
“It’s nice to be playing ... I love playing football, so playing week in week out is always fun, but MFC is a tough league,” he said.
“I do miss playing in the Premiership, but I understand that I am where I am, and I can’t think about silly things. I am here, and I just need to keep slogging away in the MFC, although it’s tough sometimes.
“My game has improved on the physical aspect because NFD \[National First Division\] is a very physical league, and there’s not as much pretty football, especially away from home when it’s hot, and the fans are on you all the time. I am now also getting goals and assists into my game,” the highly rated attacking midfielder said.
**MFC fixtures all at 3.30pm**
**Tomorrow:** Lions v Native, Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs; Lerumo v Hope, Dobsonville; Magesi v NWU, Seshego; Midlands v Venda, Mpumalanga; AmaTuks v Leicesterford, Tuks; Orbit v Highbury, Olympia Park.
**Sunday:** Gomora v Upington, Malamulele; CPT City v Bees, Cape Town.