CAPE TOWN, May 31 (Reuters) - South Africa’s departure for the 2026 World Cup was delayed on Sunday after some players were yet to receive their visas.
The team was due to leave on a charter flight for their training base in the Mexican city of Pachuca, but that has been delayed “indefinitely”, according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
South African Football Association (SAFA) officials did not respond to requests for comment, but Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie offered a stinging rebuke in a post on X.
“This SAFA travel and visa debacle is embarrassing and grossly unfair towards the players and coaching staff,” he said.
“I have informed SAFA that I need a report and action must be taken against those responsible for this mess. We are being made to look like fools.”
South Africa play in the World Cup opener against co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City on June 11, and are appearing at the global finals for the first time since they were hosts themselves in 2010.
An administrative bungle in qualifying almost cost them their place at the finals when their 2-0 victory over Lesotho was overturned after they fielded an ineligible player in Teboho Mokoena, who was suspended for the clash due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Despite this, they still finished a point ahead of Nigeria and Benin in their qualification pool.
South Africa also have Group A games against Czech Republic (June 18) in Atlanta and South Korea (June 24) in Monterrey.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
