Visa Fiasco Delays South Africa’s Departure for 2026 World Cup

South Africa's departure for the 2026 World Cup was delayed due to incomplete visas for players. Scheduled to travel to their training base in Pachuca, Mexico, the team's trip was postponed indefinitely. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie criticized the handling of the situation by SAFA, demanding accountability.

South Africa's World Cup journey hit an unexpected snag on Sunday when visa issues delayed their departure to Mexico. The national team was scheduled to fly on a charter flight for their training camp in Pachuca, but incomplete visas for some players caused an indefinite delay, as reported by the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

Requests for comments from the South African Football Association (SAFA) were met with silence. However, Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie did not hold back, labeling the situation as 'embarrassing and grossly unfair.' He publicly demanded a report and accountability from SAFA in a post on X.

The team is set to play host nation Mexico in their World Cup opener on June 11. This marks South Africa's return to the global finals since hosting the tournament in 2010. Despite past administrative hurdles, the team secured their place at the finals, narrowly finishing ahead of Nigeria and Benin in qualifying.