Jomo Cosmos Football Club is one of the most celebrated football teams in South Africa, mostly for the club’s heritage in producing and developing several footballing sensations the nation has ever seen.
The club was established on the 29th 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.
In 1984, the club’s name was officially changed to Jomo Cosmos. A legacy which was to last for generations.
Founded on a strong and evident policy of recognising and developing raw talent, the legendary Jomo Sono’s football team 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.
Over the years, the club has achieved several successes. Their first major title came in 1987, when Cosmos won the National Soccer League (NSL) First Division title.
A few years later, the football club became the Bob Save Super Bowl in 1990. In 2002 and 2005 respectively, the club was crowned Coca-Cola Cup in, while in-between those years, in 2003, the club won the SAA Supa 8
In the 2007/08 season, Jomo Cosmos were relegated from top-flight football for the first time since 1993. After one season in the National First Division (NFD), they returned to the Premiership for the 2009/10 season, having won the NFD Inland Stream and the promotion play-off against Carara Kicks.
They were immediately relegated again, leading several to question Sono’s future as the club’s manager. Jomo Sono stayed, and led the club to the 2010/11 National First Division title which earned them automatic promotion.
They were yet again relegated in their first season back, finishing in last place. They would stay in the second tier for three seasons, before winning promotion through the 2014/15 PSL play-offs
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.
In the 2021/2022, Jomo Cosmos were relegated to the semi-professional ABC Motsepe League, ending their run in fully professional tiers.
