South Africa's Bafana Bafana were grounded in Johannesburg over the weekend of May 30-31, 2026 after Mexican visas for several squad members were delayed by an administrative oversight at the South African Football Association. The squad eventually departed for Mexico on Sunday May 31 once the visas were secured with the help of Pretoria's Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the US Consulate in Johannesburg. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie issued a public rebuke to SAFA, calling the paperwork failure embarrassing and grossly unfair to players and coaching staff. Bafana Bafana face Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11, 2026.
What happened
Bafana Bafana's chartered flight from Johannesburg to Mexico City was grounded over the weekend of May 30-31, 2026. The South African Football Association said visas for some squad members had been delayed; reporting identified an administrative oversight in the application process as the immediate cause.
The Sports Minister's rebuke
South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie issued a public rebuke to SAFA. He called the paperwork failure embarrassing and grossly unfair to the players and coaching staff who had been left waiting at the airport.
How it was resolved
The squad eventually departed on Sunday May 31, 2026 once the visas were secured. SAFA thanked South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the US Consulate in Johannesburg for their assistance.
What sits ahead
Bafana Bafana face co-host Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11, 2026. The visa hold-up cost the squad several days of acclimatisation and pre-tournament training schedule.
A pattern of SAFA snafus
South African sports media framed the visa episode as the latest in a list of SAFA administrative failures. The Daily Maverick set the incident against a documented run of similar logistical problems under SAFA's current leadership.
Mentioned in this story
Acknowledged the visa-application delay; thanked DIRCO and the US Consulate for assistance.
Publicly rebuked SAFA, calling the failure embarrassing and grossly unfair to the players.
Grounded in Johannesburg until May 31, 2026; faces Mexico in the World Cup opener on June 11.
Assisted in resolving the visa hold-up.
Assisted with the urgent visa processing.