World Cup-bound South Africa has postponed its scheduled travel to the global tournament after visa issues disrupted arrangements for players and officials, the country’s football authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The national squad was expected to depart Johannesburg on Sunday for a pre-tournament training camp in Mexico via a chartered flight. However, the South African Football Association (SAFA) said the trip was halted due to delays in securing visas for some members of the delegation.
SAFA, in a statement, noted that certain players and officials encountered “challenges regarding visas,” although it did not specify the exact number affected. The association added that efforts were ongoing to resolve the situation quickly.
“SAFA is working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible,” the statement read, adding that an emergency meeting had been scheduled for Sunday evening.
Reports from South African broadcaster SABC indicated that at least 20 squad members were still awaiting visa clearance at the United States Embassy in Johannesburg.
The situation has drawn criticism from Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, who demanded accountability and described the incident as “embarrassing and grossly unfair” to the team and technical crew. In a post on X, he said those responsible would face consequences, adding that the episode had made the country “look like fools.”
Known as Bafana Bafana, South Africa has been drawn in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic, and South Korea. The team returns to the World Cup stage after a 16-year absence and is set to begin its campaign against Mexico on June 11, followed by matches against the Czech Republic and South Korea.
In preparation, the squad played a goalless draw with Nicaragua in Soweto on Friday and is scheduled for another friendly against Jamaica on June 5 as they continue final preparations amid the travel disruption.