By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: FIFA.
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has confirmed that all Bafana Bafana players have received their visas to travel to the USA for the World Cup.
The announcement follows earlier reporting by Fullview that administrative bungle over visas had thrown the squad’s Mexico-bound preparations into uncertainty, with South African Football Association (SAFA) forced to postpone the team’s scheduled departure.
“All Bafana Bafana players received their visas to travel to the USA. Outstanding is assistant coach, team doctor, head of security and one analyst. The charter will leave tomorrow (Monday),” McKenzie said on X.
He had earlier issued a furious rebuke to SAFA over the paperwork issues, calling them “embarrassing and grossly unfair towards the players and coaching staff”, adding “we are being made to look like fools”.
South Africa kick-off the World Cup in Mexico City on June 11, and are appearing at the global finals for the first time since they were hosts themselves in 2010.
The visa issue is the latest in a long line of administrative problems that has affected the South Africa squad. Recently, they were docked three points in FIFA World Cup qualifying as a result of midfielder Teboho Mokoena playing against Lesotho in March 2025 despite being suspended at the time because of an accumulation of yellow cards.
South Africa have Group A games against Czech Republic (June 18) in the U.S. city of Atlanta and South Korea (June 24) in Monterrey back in Mexico.
Meanwhile players at the 2026 World Cup will be stopped from going to the technical area to talk to coaches when goalkeepers are injured, Fifa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina has revealed.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has also approved a request to change video assistant referee (VAR) protocol to allow reviews of attacking fouls that happen before the ball is in play.
The ‘goalkeeper tactical timeout’ has become a hot topic in recent years. It is used by a manager to get new instructions to his players, or to impact the momentum of the opposition.