The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced that the MTN8 Final between Ajax Cape Town and Golden Arrows has been moved from 26 September to Saturday, 24 October.

The reason for the late change is that five of Ajax's promising young players have been included in the South African squad to take part in the World Under-20 Cup in Egypt, which is due to start on Thursday, September 24.

"Because the Under-20 tournament is not part of FIFA's international calendar," said PSL general manager Ace Ncobo in making the postponement announcement, "Ajax would have been within their rights to withdraw their players from from the Amajita squad because of the clash with the MTN8 Final. But we felt it would be benificial for South African soccer in the long term that they travel to Egypt."

The lengthy impasse that followed between the PSL and Ajax was finally settled, with the Cape Town club's Thulani Hlatshwayo, George Maluleka, Tawfeeq Salie, Sameehg Doutie and Thulane Serero remaining in the under-20 World Cup squad and able to participate in the MTN8 Final on the rearranged date.

The process, however, will result in a revision of Premier League dates in the congested, pressurised season, with Ajax now playing four of their matches without their under-20 quintet.

And another club who will be severely affected by the clash of local fixtures with the FIFA Under-20 tournament is Moroka Swallows, who have three players, namely Sibusiso Khumalo,Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Phumelele Bhengu in the Egypt-bound squad.

Also affected substantially among the Premier League clubs will be defending champions SuperSport United and log leaders Orlando Pirates, who will be deprived of two players each, while Wits University, Kaizer Chiefs, Jomo Cosmos and Platinum Stars will lose one player each.

The South African under-20 squad, who are in a first-round group with the United Arab Emirates, Honduras and Hungary, travelled to Bloemfontein on Monday to continue their preparation after an extensive programme of build-up matches that only demonstrated how difficult it will be in Egypt - particulraly should the South Africans progress to the knockout stage of the tournament.