Safa confirms Bafana Bafana will leave today for the World Cup after the visa bundle which grounded their flight yesterday

Safa has revealed that Bafana Bafana leaves today for Mexico after receiving their visas to travel to North America.

South Africa's football governing body said now only four members are yet to be cleared to travel with team but that they are working on that.

It was a mayhem yesterday as the team failed to leave OR Tambo yesterday as planned after it emerged that some of the players and technical staff members had not received their visas.

From government leaders to players, frustration was palpable all round as even sports minister Gayton Mckenzie showed his disapproval at this and calling its a ‘shame’.

“Bafana Bafana will depart for Mexico today after visas were secured for all the players on Sunday, 31 May 2026,” reads a Safa statement released this morning.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) held an Emergency Committee Meeting on Sunday night, 31 May 2026 where a number of issues around the South African senior men’s national team’s delayed travel plans to Mexico were discussed by the members.

“It was revealed in the meeting that the only outstanding visas are for four members of the camp, however SAFA is working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that they also board the flight to North America.”

Bafana face Jamaica this Friday in their last friendly game before next week's World Cup opening game against Mexico on Thursday.

It remains to be seen how the team will play given this bungle off the field.