Johannesburg, Thursday, 16 April 2026 – After weeks of pure fire, unmatched school pride and the loudest gees in the country, the champions of the 2026 #5FMWarCryChamps, proudly brought to you by Standard Bank, were officially crowned live on 5FM’s 5 Breakfast with Nick Hamman this morning.

What began as the biggest national call-up for school spirit, with entries flooding in from across South Africa, has exploded into the definitive benchmark of high school gees in Mzansi. From the moment entries opened on the 5FM App, squads, drumlines and war cry leaders delivered performances that were louder, sharper, hotter and more cinematic than ever before.

After an overwhelming response and massive, impassioned public support that flooded social media channels, the Top 10 across Girls’, Boys’ and Co-Ed categories were revealed on air last week. From there, the heat turned all the way up with the hotly contested 5FM and Standard Bank judges’ selection and the Top 5 announced live on air on Monday, the Top 4 on Tuesday, the Top 3 on Wednesday and finally today’s on-air reveal of the 2026 #5FMWarCryChamps champions.
Each winning school walks away with a whopping R20 000 in cash, courtesy of 5FM and Standard Bank, along with
the bragging rights of being officially recognised as the loudest, proudest and most unstoppable gees machines in
the country.

And now… the moment Mzansi has been waiting for – the 2026 #5FMWarCryChamps winners:

GIRLS’ SCHOOLS – TOP 3
Winner: St Stithians Girls’ College
2nd Place: Parktown High School for Girls
3rd Place: Jeppe Girls
BOYS’ SCHOOLS – TOP 3
Winner: Parktown Boys
2nd Place: St Stithians Boys
3rd Place: Christian Brothers’ College Boksburg
CO-ED SCHOOLS – TOP 3
Winner: Sacred Heart College
2nd Place: Trinityhouse Little Falls
3rd Place: Fourways High School

Masi Mdingane, 5FM and Good Hope FM’s Business Manager, says, “Every single year, the #5FMWarCryChamps get bigger, bolder and more explosive. South African schools don’t just sing, they unleash a total vibe that shakes stands and sparks unity. We are incredibly proud to grow this platform with our partners at Standard Bank, and this year’s entries proved once again that Mzansi’s schools have the best gees in the world. The passion, the formations, the production, the community hype. The schools really brought their A-game and we’re already looking forward to next year. Congratulations to our 2026 champions!”

Tshiamo Molanda, Head of Personal Banking at Standard Bank, says: “At Standard Bank, we believe South Africa’s growth is powered by confident, ambitious young people. Through the #5FMWarCryChamps, we’re proud to partner with 5FM in celebrating youth pride, purpose and the energy shaping our nation’s future.”

From the first entry to the final announcement, the 2026 #5FMWarCryChamps have shown exactly why this competition has become a national spectacle. With eyes as far as Hollywood watching and thousands of learners, alumni and communities rallying behind their schools, this year’s champs have set a new standard for what school spirit can look and sound like. Mzansi, your schools have risen. They’ve shone. They’ve ROARED and they’ve shown the world how youth gees SHOULD be done. Videos from all the top performances, including interviews with the winners, will be available on www.5fm.co.za, SABC PLUS, and on the following social media platforms:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@5fm
Instagram: https://instagram.com/5fm/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThePowerof5FM,
X: https://x.com/5FM
WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb3Hp1FHAdNV3FBcsU0x
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2NrMnw60a-Z-E77FfMKqkA