Ubuntu Football has announced a landmark partnership with Norwegian Eliteserien club IK Start, creating an exciting new pathway for some of South Africa’s brightest young footballers to access opportunities in one of Europe’s most progressive football environments.
The collaboration begins this August, when an initial group of six selected Ubuntu players will travel to Kristiansand for a two-week training programme with IK Start, marking the first edition of what is set to become an annual player-exposure initiative. In September 2026, IK Start Chief Executive Officer Vibeke Johannesen and Sporting Director Fredrik Greve Monsen will make the return journey to Cape Town, where they will spend time with Ubuntu’s leadership, coaches and staff to further strengthen the relationship.
“Ubuntu and IK Start share many of the same values,” Ubuntu co-founder Michael Jenkins said.
“We both believe in developing young people first and footballers second. This partnership gives our players the opportunity to challenge themselves in a professional European environment, helping them grow both as young men and as footballers, and creates an unprecedented opportunity for some of South Africa’s most promising youth players to launch their professional careers in one of Europe’s most exciting football markets. We believe that this relationship will make both organizations stronger, and we look forward to building something meaningful together.”
IK Start Sporting Director Fredrik Greve Monsen believes the partnership with Ubuntu will strengthen the club’s long-term commitment to youth development, describing it as an exciting opportunity to blend some of South Africa’s brightest young prospects with the finest emerging talent from Norway’s South Coast. He sees the collaboration not only as a pathway for player development, but also as a chance for both clubs to learn from one another, exchange ideas and create an environment where talented youngsters from different footballing cultures can grow together.
“This partnership is about strengthening IK Start in the long term. Our commitment to developing local talent in Southern Norway remains unchanged and will always be the foundation of our development department. Ubuntu complements this work and gives us a new opportunity to identify and develop talented young players. Selected Ubuntu players from different age groups will have the opportunity to train and conduct trials with the corresponding IK Start Development teams. This creates a more competitive environment, exposes our players and coaches to different perspectives, and ultimately strengthens our development work and our club.”
In their 15 years of existence, apart from sending over 40 players to universities, Ubuntu have produced the same number of professional footballers, and that number doubles when the DDC is included.
Several have already embarked on international careers, including Antonio Van Wyk, who recently signed for Mamelodi Sundowns from Austrian club SV Ried, Siviwe Magidigidi is at K Beerschot in Belgium, while Munashe Garananga is with FC Copenhagen.