South Africa’s national soccer team heads to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after administrative errors by the South African Football Association delayed their travel plans.
Bafana Bafana will play their opening match against Mexico on 11 June at Azteca Stadium. The team was scheduled to arrive in Mexico on 31 May for acclimatisation but could not travel until the next day after SAFA mishandled visa applications. This follows a September 2025 FIFA sanction that docked South Africa three points for fielding midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a qualifier against Lesotho. The error occurred because SAFA officials failed to track accumulated yellow cards. Coach Hugo Broos described the World Cup appearance as a fitting end to his career at age 73. Fans have expressed frustration over team manager Vincent Tseka remaining in his post despite the repeated issues. South Africa will also face Czechia on 18 June and South Korea on 25 June in Group A. The tournament runs until 19 July.
