SUPERSPORT United start the defence of their Absa Premiership title against Maritzburg United - who narrowly escaped relegation - at the Woodburn stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, August 7.

SUPERSPORT United start the defence of their Absa Premiership title against Maritzburg United - who narrowly escaped relegation - at the Woodburn stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, August 7.

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) released its fixtures for the 2009-2010 season at a press conference in Parktown yesterday.

PSL general manager: football, Andile "Ace" Ncobo, was tasked with putting together a fixture list of almost 300 matches in what will be a shortened season due to the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The league kicks off on Saturday August 1 with the traditional season opener Telkom Charity Cup.

MTN8 first-round matches will be played on the following Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ncobo said: "In order for us to complete the season before the Fifa deadline, we have to play all the premiership matches first and our two premier cup competitions - Telkom Knockout and Nedbank Cup - during March, April and May.

"With our commitment to provide adequate preparatory time for Bafana Bafana, the league will also be in recess for the entire month of January, when the national team will be in camp.

"We have also committed ourselves to releasing all selected players to join the national team from March 1, right up to the kickoff of the World Cup. This will give Bafana Bafana a total period of more than four months to prepare. All this has led to the congested fixture list."

Despite the challenges, Ncobo is confident that the season will run smoothly.

He said: "Last season we had problems with the lack of playing facilities due to construction work and upgrading, but I am pleased to announce that we will be using new facilities like the Rand, Orlando and Dobsonville stadiums."