SAFA Confirms Bafana Bafana’s World Cup Travel Crisis Resolved After Visa Delay Drama
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that Bafana Bafana will depart for Mexico on Monday after a visa-related administrative setback delayed the team’s planned departure for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The travel disruption emerged on Sunday when SABC Sport broke the story, revealing that Hugo Broos’ squad had been unable to leave as scheduled from OR Tambo International Airport. The national team had been due to board a charter flight to Mexico City before travelling to their World Cup base camp in Pachuca.
The delay sparked concern among South African football supporters, with the team losing a valuable day of preparation ahead of football’s biggest tournament.
In a statement released on Monday, SAFA announced that visas for all players were secured on Sunday, paving the way for the squad’s departure to North America.
The association also revealed that an Emergency Committee Meeting was convened on Sunday night to address the situation and assess the impact of the travel disruption.
According to SAFA, only four members of the travelling camp were still awaiting final visa clearance at the time of the meeting. However, the football governing body said it was working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure those individuals could also travel as soon as possible.
To prevent similar logistical challenges during the tournament, SAFA has established a three-member organising committee tasked with overseeing the team’s administrative affairs throughout the World Cup.
The committee consists of Bafana Bafana Head of Delegation David Molwantwa, SAFA Finance Committee Chairperson Mxolisi Sibam and Team Manager Vincent Tseka.
The trio will be responsible for handling any operational, logistical or administrative matters that may arise while the national team is competing in North America.
SAFA Confirms Bafana Bafana’s World Cup Travel Crisis Resolved After Visa Delay Drama (IMAGE: SAFA.net)
While acknowledging that the visa complications disrupted the team’s travel schedule, SAFA expressed confidence that the issue had been largely resolved and insisted that Bafana Bafana’s World Cup preparations remain on track.
The association also issued an apology to South Africans for the unexpected delay.
“SAFA apologises to the nation for these unexpected travel delays,” the association said in its statement.
The governing body further thanked the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the United States Consulate in Johannesburg for their assistance in securing the necessary travel documentation over the weekend.
The visa setback comes just days before Bafana Bafana begin the final phase of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.
Despite the administrative hiccup, Hugo Broos and his players can now turn their full attention to the challenge ahead as South Africa prepares to compete on the world stage for the first time in years.
For supporters, the immediate concern has been eased, with the team now set to begin its World Cup journey after a dramatic and unexpected delay that briefly threatened to overshadow the build-up to the tournament.