South Africa men’s national team have been unable to travel to Mexico to begin their 2026 World Cup preparations in earnest due to visa issues.

According to reports, an administrative error led to several players in the squad having their visa still under processing at the US embassy hours before travel, while the visa application for some officials was denied.

South Africa had been due to leave the country through OR Tambo International Airport, on Sunday, aboard a charter flight to Mexico City, from where they were to embark on another two hours journey to their World Cup base camp in Pachuca.

The plan has, however, been derailed, with both players and coaching crew still in South Africa.

The Hugo Broos-led team has, therefore, continued to train in Johannesburg until the issue is sorted to allow South Africa, who will face co-hosts Mexico in the first match of the 2026 World Cup on June 11 to travel.

They will play their second group match in the US before ending their group campaign in Mexico.

The country’s minister for Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has requested a report from the South Africa Football Association, and insisted persons responsible for the debacle be punished for making the country “look like fools”.

This episode is the latest in recent administrative errors from South Africa’s football association. It has been accused of delaying payments to the national teams, while South Africa’s World Cup qualification was almost bungled following a three-point deduction resulting from the team fielding an ineligible player.

South Africa are in the World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010.

They have not managed to advance beyond the group stage in their previous three appearances. (Weekend Trust)

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