Bafana Bafana’s departure for Mexico for the World Cup was pushed back from Sunday to Monday due to several players not receiving their visas in time from the US embassy.
It is understood the late visas for some Bafana players and technical staff were due to an administrative bungle by the South African Football Association (Safa).
A number of players and officials had not received their visas by this weekend.
Safa officials were on Sunday scrambling to engage with the US embassy in Johannesburg on the issue. There was still an outside chance of Bafana’s charter flight still leaving on Sunday night.
This @SAFA_net travel & visa debacle is embarrassing & grossly unfair towards the players & coaching staff. I have informed @SAFA_net that I need a report and action must be taken against those responsible for this mess. We are being made to look like fools.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) May 31, 2026
Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie slammed what he called a “Safa travel and visa debacle” on Sunday.
“This @SAFA_net travel & visa debacle is embarrassing and grossly unfair towards the players and coaching staff,” McKenzie posted on X.
“I have informed @SAFA_net that I need a report and action must be taken against those responsible for this mess. We are being made to look like fools.”
Most players, technical staff, administrators, supporters and journalists travelling to the World Cup obtain US visas, which then also apply to the other two co-hosting countries, Mexico and Canada.
Safa hopes most of those with outstanding visas will be able to collect them on Monday morning at the latest, before Bafana’s flight later.
Most of the Mamelodi Sundowns contingent of players in the Bafana squad do not have a problem, as they competed at the Fifa Club World Cup last year and have applicable US visas that remain active.
Broos wanted to leave at least 10 days before the opening game because he said it takes that length of time to adjust to high altitude
Coach Hugo Broos is Belgian and has a Schengen passport, which allows entry to Mexico without a visa. He would have also been granted a US visa to attend the World Cup final draw in December, which would also still apply.
It was not clear if the late departure would in any way affect a planned final warm-up friendly Bafana are set to play against Jamaica before they play the opening game of the World Cup against Mexico at the Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.
In a statement, Safa confirmed the issue with the visas without adding much detail.
“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,” the association said.
“Safa is working around the clock to ensure the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match of the global tournament against the hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on June 11. 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 will have an emergency committee meeting this evening [Sunday] and a further update will be communicated to the nation after its conclusion.”
Broos wanted to leave at least 10 days before the opening game because he said it takes that length of time to adjust to high altitude.
Mexico City sits at 2,240m above sea level, 500m above even high-altitude Johannesburg (1,750m).
Bafana’s training base at Universidad del Futbol y Ciencias del Deporte, part of the Grupo in Pachuca, 95km outside Mexico City, sits at 2,430m.
A Tuesday (June 2) arrival would leave Bafana just about 10 days to adapt to the altitude.
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