Jomo Cosmos are a South African professional association football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the ABC Motsepe League. The club is owned and coached by South African football legend Jomo Sono.
At the end of the 2021–22 National First Division season, the club was relegated to the third tier of football in South Africa for the first time.
The club was founded on 29 January 1983, upon the remnants of the previously well-known and successful club Highlands Park, which Sono opted to buy when he ended his playing career in the United States. The club was named Dion Cosmos in its initial 1983 season, with the first part of the name representing the previous sponsor of Highlands Park and the second part being the fingerprint of Jomo Sono, who decided to name his newly bought club after his former NASL club, the New York Cosmos. Since 1984, the name of the club has been Jomo Cosmos.[1]
Sono's policy for development has always been to recognise and build upon raw talent. Sono's team accentuated and developed a strong youth policy and through the years has gained a reputation for discovering and developing some of the finest talent to have played in the league, for the South Africa national team and abroad. Under Sono's ownership, the club went on to achieve several successes: winning the South African Premier Division title in 1987,[2] the Bob Save Super Bowl in 1990,[3][4] the Coca-Cola Cup in 2002 and 2005,[5] and the SAA Supa 8 in 2003.[6]
In 2008, Jomo Cosmos were relegated from top-flight football for the first time since 1993.[7] After one season in the National First Division, they returned to the PSL for the 2009–10 season, having won the Inland Stream and the promotion play-off against Carara Kicks.[8] They were immediately relegated again, leading several to question Sono's future as the club's manager.[9] Sono stayed, and led the club to the 2010–11 National First Division title and promotion.[10] They were yet again relegated in their first season back, finishing in last place.[11] They would stay in the second tier for three seasons, before winning promotion through the 2014-15 PSL play-off tournament.[12] Cosmos were relegated again in their first season back, after losing 3–1 to Maritzburg United on the final day, ending the season in last place.[13]
Andrew Rabutla 229
Manuel Bucuane 88 Manuel Bucuane Helman Mkhalele (1993) both 46 Philemon Masinga 27 (1991) Jomo Sono Bamuza Sono Jomo Sono
Siza Dlamini & Gerald Mtshali
Mpangi Merikani & Avril Phali2019-20 season[14]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.