Juventus Durban Football Club was established in 1966 by the Italo S.A. Club
committee. The concept of forming a football section within the main club was initiated by Giuseppe (Joe) Pieri, who received assistance and support from Cleto di Paolo (the first Chairman) and Illario Conti (see photo). Joe, with a vision to mirror the success of the Italian football team from Turin, witnessed strong backing from the local Italian community. Impressed by their solidarity and passionate support, got the team setup and saw the inception of the first Juventus team on April 3, 1966, competing in the Durban Sunday League. In its inaugural year, the club boasted 27 players under the management of Giuliano Colzi and Mario Avellini, with Raimondo Esposito serving as the coach.
By 1977 the club was playing out of Botanical Gardens grounds and this saw the club expand to field seven teams, comprising a total of 121 playing members. In 1979, Joe played a pivotal role in bringing Clive Barker on board as the head coach, leading the team to league victory that year. This successful partnership concluded in 1982. In 2007, the club affiliated with the Durban Central LFA and adopted two junior teams from Inanda. Facing challenges in the following years, a new committee was formed in 2009, spearheaded by Alex di Paolo, Steve Papini, Firass Bou Melhem, and Nik Albert, with a focus on junior development.
Under Alex di Paolo’s chairmanship in 2010/11, the club experienced exponential growth, boasting nearly 350 members from U6 to seniors. In 2014, Steve Papini assumed the role of club Chairman, leading a committee that included Abdull Domingo, Mark Fulton, Firass Bou Melhem, Christo Ioannou, Nik Albert, Derek Pather, Dean Bolton, and Nuch Torino as Executive members. The junior teams thrived, reaching close to 450 playing members and achieving success in various age groups.
In 2014, the senior teams, benefiting from the influx of junior players, competed in the regional Castle League and the Durban Central Premier league, with Devin Lane as captain. The team performed exceptionally well, securing the 2nd position in the logs from 2014-2017 and reaching the DCLFA Cup finals in 2016, narrowly losing on penalties.
In September 2014, after nearly 50 years of dedicated service, Joe Pieri retired from his Executive position and assumed the title of Honorary President. In 2023, the club marked a new chapter by relocating to its new grounds at Northlands Girls High School, bidding farewell to Crusaders Sports Grounds after 15 years.