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Visa problems force South Africa to postpone Mexico trip for FIFA World Cup

Bafana Bafana was supposed to leave for Mexico on Sunday to start its preparations for the tournament. The team is set to play co-host Mexico in the opening game in Mexico City on June 12

South Africa's national men's team

AP Johannesburg (South Africa)

1 min read Last Updated : Jun 01 2026 | 2:29 PM IST

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South Africa's national men's team has postponed its travel to Mexico because of visa issues, just 11 days ahead of the World Cup.

Bafana Bafana was supposed to leave for Mexico on Sunday to start its preparations for the tournament. The team is set to play co-host Mexico in the opening game in Mexico City on June 12.

"The South African senior men's national team has experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials, and as a result the group could not travel to North America this morning as originally planned," the South African Football Association said in a statement Sunday.

"SAFA is working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match of the global tournament," the statement said.

The team will continue to train in Johannesburg, South Africa, until departure. SAFA said it would provide an update on the situation after an emergency meeting on Sunday evening.

South Africa also faces the Czech Republic and South Korea in Group A.

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