Can Safa fix Bafana’s World Cup admin mess?

Another year, another South African Football Association (Safa) admin headache. Bafana Bafana’s trip to Mexico for their final 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations has been delayed by visa issues, disrupting what should be a feel-good moment. It’s South Africa’s first trip to the World Cup since hosting in 2010. The timing is not ideal. Every lost day matters when the team is preparing in unfamiliar conditions ahead of appearing on football’s biggest stage. Instead of focusing on the football, fans are once again asking whether Safa’s off-field problems are starting to trip Bafana up on the pitch. @explain.co.za Bafana Bafana made it to Mexico. No thanks to Safa Visa delays, a suspended player fiasco, a Banyana payment dispute. This is a pattern. The Wrap x @mailandguardian breaks it down!Check out The Wrap explain.co.za/subscribe #TheWrap #ExplainZA #SouthAfrica #SANews #BafanaBafana #Safa #MailAndGuardian #LearnOnTikTok #NewsWrap #Football #fyp #ForYouPage ♬ original sound – /explain/ – /explain/ The visa fiasco Bafana Bafana were meant to leave for Pachuca, Mexico, on Sunday to set up their World Cup training base. Instead, they were stuck at home after a visa mess delayed part of the travelling group. According to the SABC, at least 20 members of the contingent could not travel because their visas were still being processed at the United States embassy in Johannesburg. Not exactly the pre-World Cup send-off fans had in mind. The team eventually departed on Monday, but by then the damage was done. The delay had already attracted international attention and raised fresh questions about Safa’s planning. The bigger frustration is that this feels familiar. South African football fans have seen too many moments in which Bafana’s progress on the pitch is forced to share space with Safa’s problems off it. Mokoena suspension mess Case in point: the was the Teboho Mokoena saga. The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder was fielded against Lesotho in a World Cup qualifier d