Khanya Ngema – Player Profile 2025/26

163 cmHeight (5′4″)

4.2 s30 m sprint

Player details

Personal

Full name: Khanya Ngema
Date of birth: 3 March 2006 (20)
Nationality: South African
Passport: Yes
Height: 163 cm (5′4″)
Preferred foot: Both

Position and status

Positions: CAM · LW · RW · LB
Club: Real Native FC (FC Corinthians in the SAB)
League: SAB
Agent: None
Based in: Durban / Pretoria, South Africa

Physical testing (self-reported)

30 m sprint: 4.2 seconds
Yo-Yo test: 847 m – 1,068 m (level 15.7–17.2)
Vertical jump: 42.3 cm

Career timeline

2026
Real Native FC · FC Corinthians (SAB)
Club football while studying
Around 13 appearances in 2025/26, five of them starts, with one goal. Mostly used as a substitute. Keeps fit with residence and indoor football and completes the NQF Level 6 Software Engineering qualification at CTU Training Solutions.
Late 2025
Scouted by Real Native FC
Residence football · Pretoria
Spotted playing residence football and brought into the club’s SAB side, where he has been a squad member since.
Scouted
2024–25
Move to Pretoria · Tuks trials
Change of province for tertiary study
Relocated to begin the NQF Level 6 Software Engineering programme and trialled with Tuks. The trial was unsuccessful, and he kept developing through residence football.
2023
Zululand District U19
District representative · Kloof High School Tournament
Selected for the district’s under-19 side and reached the final of the district tournament, finishing as runner-up. Also played the Kloof High School tournament with his school, going out at the group stage. Earned Full Colours at school again, playing first-team football.
District runner-upFull Colours
2022
Zululand District U16
District representative · Kloof High School Tournament
Represented Zululand at under-16 level and won the district tournament. Also reached the Round of 16 at the Kloof High School tournament, and started first-team football at school. Earned Full Colours.
District championKloof Round of 16Full Colours
2021
Lady Starke Football Academy · KZN Academy
Academy football
Represented Lady Starke Football Academy and was scouted by KZN Academy after a match against them. Played several games for KZN Academy, though distance and boarding-school commitments limited his availability.
Scouted
2020–23
Eshowe High School
Boarding school · First-team football
Four years of school football while in boarding, including first-team football in 2022 and 2023. Executive Secretary of the Representative Council of Learners in 2023.
2014–19
Stella Football Club · Durban
Grassroots football
Developed fundamentals over six seasons at Stella FC.
Most Improved Player

Playing profile

Technical ratings (self-assessed)

Dribbling

Vision

Pace

Passing

First touch

Work rate

Shooting

Heading

Stamina

Tackling

Top strengths

1v1 ability. Beats defenders in tight spaces.
Dribbling. Close control at pace with either foot.
Long passing. Switches play and finds runners.
Pressing. Wins the ball high up the pitch.

Development area

Physicality. Working on strength and stamina to match senior-level contact.

Season stats

Season	Club	Apps	Starts	Sub apps	Goals	Assists	Goals / game
2025/26	Real Native FC (FC Corinthians)	~13	5	~8	1	0	0.08

Approximate figures. Mostly used as a substitute in his first senior season.

Scouting summary

Player type

Left-sided creative attacker who is comfortable on either wing, in the number 10 role or at left-back. Two-footed, so he can cut inside or go outside. Gets his threat from dribbling and 1v1 situations, sees passes early and presses to win the ball high. At 163 cm, he relies on quickness and technique rather than size, and is working on strength and stamina.

Honours

Most Improved Player, Stella FC (grassroots)
Zululand U16 district tournament winner (2022)
Zululand U19 district tournament runner-up (2023)
Full Colours, Eshowe High School (2022 and 2023)
Scouted by KZN Academy (2021) and Real Native FC (2025)

Availability

Status: Open to relocation
Seeking: DDC (Diski Challenge) football, ABC Motsepe League, trials and academy opportunities
Travel: Passport held
Representation: Self-represented
Video: Highlights on YouTube
References: Three coaches listed below

Education and character

Software Engineering student (NQF Level 6, CTU Training Solutions, finishing 2026) and founder of Khanya Digital, a web design and AI automation studio. Combines football with full-time study and running a business, which shows time management and reliability. Former school leadership member (Representative Council of Learners) and Full Colours holder.