South Africa’s Football Team Misses Flight to Mexico After Visa Issues

(MENAFN) South Africa’s national football team has been forced to postpone its departure for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after visa complications prevented part of the delegation from traveling as scheduled.

According to reports, several players and team officials were unable to obtain the necessary travel documents in time, leading to the cancellation of the squad’s planned journey to North America on Sunday.

In a statement, the South African Football Association said, “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.’’

Bafana Bafana had been due to fly by charter to Mexico City as preparations continued for their opening World Cup fixture against tournament hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca on June 11.

Despite the setback, football officials said efforts are underway to resolve the issue while ensuring the team's tournament preparations remain unaffected.

“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,’’ SAFA said.

The delay has drawn criticism from government officials. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie described the situation as unfair to both the players and coaching staff, calling the visa problems embarrassing as the team prepares for one of the biggest events in international football.

For now, South Africa's squad remains in Johannesburg awaiting clearance to travel, while officials work to secure the outstanding visas before the start of the World Cup.

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