South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, has officially departed for its World Cup training camp in Pachuca, Mexico, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, overcoming last-minute visa challenges that delayed the squad’s travel plans.
The team left Johannesburg on a charter flight on Monday after an administrative setback involving visa processing forced the delegation to postpone its original departure scheduled for Sunday. The South African Football Association (SAFA) described the issue as an administrative error that created uncertainty in the final stages of the team’s preparations.
However, assistant coach Helman Mkhalele was unable to travel with the rest of the squad after his United States visa application was denied. SAFA President Danny Jordaan said the organisation had not received an explanation for the decision and remains hopeful that the matter will be resolved soon.
Despite the disruption, head coach Hugo Broos expressed relief that the squad could finally focus on football matters. He acknowledged that the visa complications had created stress within the camp but said the team’s attention is now fully on preparing for the tournament.
South Africa will use its training base in Pachuca to fine-tune preparations before facing Jamaica in an international friendly. Bafana Bafana will then take on tournament co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the World Cup on June 11.
The South Africans have been drawn in Group A, where they will also face Czechia in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Monterrey on June 24.
Making their fourth FIFA World Cup appearance, Bafana Bafana will be aiming to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in the nation’s football history.