A new competition, driven by public voting, will fill a glaring gap in the calendar at the end of next month while the DStv Premiership is on hiatus because of the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The DSTV Compact Cup will see the 16 top flight clubs divided into four regional teams and the pubic deciding the starting line-ups for the clashes against each other between January 22 and 29. There will be two semi-finals and a final with a R1m prize for the winner, although the venue is yet undecided, it was announced at a rambling Premier Soccer League (PSL) press conference on Monday beset by technical problems.

The new competition includes an appetising amalgamation of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates into a single team as they form the Inland One side along with Swallows FC and TS Galaxy. AmaZulu, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Maritzburg United and Royal AM form Coastal 1 while Baroka, Cape Town City, Chippa United and Stellenbosch FC make up the Coastal 2 team.

Champions Mamelodi Sundowns make up Inland 2 with neighbours SuperSport United, Marumo Gallants and Sekhukhune United. The four regional teams will be given names in a public ballot which started on Monday and runs for a week. Supporters will vote for the squads from December 20. Each club will provide five players plus one of their Diski Challenge players to their respective squad.

It excludes those players who are off to play for their national team at the Cup of Nations in Cameroon in January. Fans will vote for the starting line-up for matches, with a R1m prize for one of those participating in the vote.

The DStv Premiership closes on December 23 because of the Cup of Nations and only restarts in mid-February and the new competition fills a gap in the television schedule.