The SuperSport Series is the main domestic first class cricket competition in South Africa, first contested (as the Currie Cup) in 1889-90. From 1990-91 it became known as the Castle Cup, and from 1996-97 by its current title. The Gauteng Lions (formerly Transvaal) have won the title the most times (25, plus four shared titles).

Cricket in South Africa was established by the British, and the first tour by a side from England took place in 1888-89. The following summer a domestic competition, the Currie Cup, named after Sir Donald Currie, who donated the trophy, began with two sides - Kimberley and Transvaal - playing against each other. The competition quickly expanded, and really reached its peak during the years of isolation in the 1970s and 1980s when the standards were exceptionally high.

After the end of the apartheid era, the domestic game suffered and in 2004-05 the competition underwent a major overhaul and was rebranded with the introduction of six franchises. This top tier is underpinned by second-tier tournaments for the old provincial teams that are now known as the South African Airways Provincial Challenges.

In October 2007, it was announced that Zimbabwe would take part in a single round of the 2007/8 Supersport Series to aid its development and improvement. They will not score points from these matches, but teams playing against them will. This plan was later dropped.