South Africa’s return to the World Cup stage after a 16-year absence was supposed to be a moment of national pride. Instead, it nearly began with the squad stranded on the tarmac in Johannesburg.
Bafana Bafana were scheduled to depart on a chartered flight from Johannesburg to Mexico City on Sunday morning, but remained grounded as visas for the co-host nation were delayed for some squad members and officials and all hell broke loose.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie publicly demanded an explanation from the South African Football Association, posting on X: “This SAFA travel and visa debacle is embarrassing and grossly unfair towards the players and coaching staff. Action must be taken against those responsible for this mess. We are being made to look like fools.”
SAFA called an emergency committee meeting following McKenzie’s condemnation and confirmed it was working around the clock to resolve the situation ahead of their opening World Cup match against co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on June 11th.
The issue was eventually resolved, though not cleanly. McKenzie updated on Sunday evening that all Bafana Bafana players had received their visas, but that the assistant coach, team doctor, head of security, and one analyst were still outstanding. The charter was confirmed to depart this Monday.
The team is due to face Jamaica in a friendly in Mexico on Friday, their final preparation before the tournament. It will be their last chance to find form before a World Cup campaign that has been dogged by administrative failures almost from the start.
The visa debacle is not an isolated incident for this squad. South Africa were docked three points in FIFA World Cup qualifying after midfielder Teboho Mokoena played against Lesotho in March 2025 despite serving a suspension, a result of what SAFA claimed was a team manager fetching ice at the time of the team selection process. They qualified despite the setback, but the pattern of administrative chaos is one that McKenzie is clearly no longer willing to excuse.
The SAFA described the team’s situation as having “experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials” without providing further detail. National broadcaster SABC called it an “administrative bungle.”
South Africa are one of 10 African nations competing in the expanded 48-team World Cup. The continent is well represented. The hope now is that Bafana Bafana’s on-pitch performance will prove a better advertisement for the country than the chaos that preceded their departure.
The football, at least, still awaits. South Africa will need to leave the administrative drama firmly behind on the tarmac in Johannesburg.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily
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