"Being made to look like fools": South Africa joins growing list of nations caught in 2026 World Cup visa mess before tournament kicks off
TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Jun 01, 2026, 18:40 (IST)
South Africa's Bafana Bafana faced a major travel disruption ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a visa processing failure grounded the squad at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie publicly condemned SAFA's handling of the situation, calling it "embarrassing." All players eventually received their visas, with departure confirmed for Monday. However, the assistant coach, team doctor, head of security and one analyst remained without clearance. South Africa open the tournament against co-hosts Mexico on June 11, their first World Cup since hosting the event in 2010.