Bafana Bafana finally depart for North America after embarrassing visa mix-up – in stark contrast to other African teams

After a delay of more than 30 hours that captured unwanted international headlines, Bafana Bafana have finally departed for North America. The squad boarded a charter flight late on Monday, 1 June 2026, which was originally scheduled for the previous day, costing them valuable preparation time. The tardiness follows the chaotic visa bungle that grounded them in Johannesburg.

Although the main group are en route to their training base in Pachuca, Mexico, the episode remains a stark reminder of deeper issues in the South African Football Association (Safa). Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie described it as a “debacle” and a “mess” that made the country “look like fools”, demanding accountability from those responsible. The optics are particularly damaging because the world views South Africa as the most resourceful footballing nation on the continent.

With superior infrastructure, a track record of hosting major events such as the 2010 World Cup and greater relative resources than many peers, South Africa is often the go-to example when other African countries struggle to meet Fifa standards for tournaments or international competitions. Yet there we were, unable to execute something as fundamental as timely travel documentation for our own national team. This stands in sharp contrast to other African teams heading to the 2026 tournament.

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Powerhouses such as Morocco and Senegal had seamlessly confirmed their base camps and logistics weeks in advance, with no reported travel disruptions. Egypt and others appear to have managed their preparations more efficiently. South Africa’s self-inflicted delay highlights a troubling outlier in continental preparation.

The nation can only hope the embarrassing debacle does not have a negative effect on the team. The lost day-plus of preparation, disrupted acclimatisation to altitude and conditions in Mexico and the lingering frustration could weigh on morale before a demanding group that includes hosts Mexico on 11 June. The squad left without assistant coach Helman Mkhalele and the team’s head of security, Mdu Mbatha, because of incomplete paperwork. Bafana Bafana and the millions of South Africans backing them deserve far better.

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