South Africa’s national football team have been unable to depart for Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after several players and officials encountered visa-related complications.
The South African Football Association confirmed that the squad’s planned journey to North America had been delayed, with emergency efforts now underway to secure the required travel documentation as quickly as possible.
While the situation is being resolved, the team will continue preparations in Johannesburg. SAFA said staff are working around the clock to ensure the delegation can travel without further disruption before the start of the tournament.
The delay comes less than two weeks before the opening match of the expanded 48-team World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from 11 June to 19 July.
South Africa have been drawn into a challenging group alongside hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic and South Korea. The visa setback has already raised concerns among supporters about the team’s preparations and travel schedule ahead of their opening fixture.
Bafana Bafana secured qualification for the World Cup after an impressive campaign in the African qualifiers and are set to make another appearance on football’s biggest stage after years of rebuilding under the national federation.
