South Africa’s national football team has been forced to postpone its departure for the upcoming World Cup after visa complications disrupted travel arrangements, the South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed on Sunday.
The squad, popularly known as Bafana Bafana, was scheduled to fly out of Johannesburg on Sunday aboard a chartered flight to Mexico for a pre-tournament training camp. However, the team’s travel plans were thrown into uncertainty after several players and officials reportedly faced delays in obtaining visas.
SAFA said in a statement that the team “has experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials,” adding that efforts were underway to resolve the situation urgently.
It was not immediately confirmed how many members of the travelling contingent were affected by the visa delays, although reports from state broadcaster SABC indicated that at least 20 squad members were still awaiting clearance from the United States embassy in Johannesburg.
The association said it was working “around the clock” to ensure the team departs for Mexico City as soon as possible and confirmed that an emergency meeting had been scheduled for Sunday evening to address the crisis.
The development has sparked political and public criticism in South Africa, with Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie describing the situation as “embarrassing and grossly unfair” to the players and coaching staff.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, McKenzie said the travel disruption had exposed serious administrative failures, adding: “We are being made to look like fools.”
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South Africa, returning to football’s biggest stage after a 16-year absence, has been drawn in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, the Czech Republic, and South Korea.
The team is set to open its campaign against Mexico on June 11, before facing the Czech Republic and South Korea in its remaining group-stage fixtures.
Preparations have already been affected on the pitch, with Bafana Bafana held to a goalless draw by Nicaragua in a warm-up match in Soweto, while another friendly against Jamaica remains scheduled for June 5.
The visa setback now adds fresh uncertainty to the team’s final build-up as officials race against time to ensure full squad availability ahead of the tournament.