South Africa’s World Cup 2026 departure delayed over Mexican visa debacle

The South African squad’s departure for the FIFA World Cup has been delayed due to a hold-up in the visas for Mexico, whom they face in the tournament’s opening game in 11 days, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has said.

Bafana Bafana, as South Africa’s national men’s football team is known, were scheduled to depart on a chartered flight from Johannesburg to Mexico City on Sunday morning, but remained grounded as visas for the cohost nation for some squad members were delayed.

“The South African senior men’s national team has experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials, and as a result the group could not travel to North America this morning as originally planned,” SAFA said in a media release.

Mexico will host South Africa in the World Cup’s opening game at the Estadio Azteca on June 11.

“SAFA is working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match,” it said.

“We remain committed to ensuring that the team’s preparations for the tournament remain on track and, in the meantime, Bafana Bafana will continue to train in Johannesburg until departure.”

The squad was given a grand public sendoff in Johannesburg on Saturday before their first appearance in the tournament since hosting it in 2010, but the flight from OR Tambo airport to Mexico City was postponed.

SAFA said it had called an emergency committee meeting later on Sunday to discuss the issue following a vociferous condemnation from Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, who termed it “embarrassing and grossly unfair”.