Visa delays push South Africa's World Cup departure to Monday
The South African Football Association announced that the squad will leave for the United States on Monday after a weekend of diplomatic wrangling over U.S. visa applications. The original schedule had the team departing on Sunday, but delays for several players and staff pushed the itinerary back a day.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie publicly denounced the administrative error, calling it "embarrassing" and urging officials to expedite the remaining paperwork. His remarks underscored the frustration felt by the coaching staff and players who had been preparing for the tournament.
While all 23 players have secured the necessary travel documents, four members of the support staff remain without visas. The South African Football Association appealed to the South African Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Consulate, which intervened to accelerate the processing.
The team’s itinerary includes a high‑profile opening match against Mexico in Mexico City on June 11, followed by fixtures against the Czech Republic in Atlanta and South Korea in Monterrey. These games form part of a broader tour that will test the squad’s cohesion under newly imposed conditions.
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena attracted additional scrutiny after he took the field while serving a suspension, a move that sparked debate among pundits about compliance with eligibility rules. Earlier in the qualification campaign, South Africa had also been stripped of a victory over Lesotho, a result that briefly threatened its progression.
Despite the setbacks, the squad managed to finish top of its qualifying group by a single point, earning a spot at the World Cup. This tournament will mark the nation’s first appearance on the world stage since it hosted the event in 2010, a milestone that has generated considerable excitement among fans.