Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie is hopping mad after Bafana Bafana failed to travel to the Americas for this year’s FIFA World Cup. Bafana Bafana were due to fly out on Sunday morning, but remain at home because of an “administrative bungle” that resulted in some players failing to receive their visas on time. McKenzie took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to vent his frustrations over the matter, but also assured the nation that he has demanded answers from…

The search will soon be on for the next head coach of South Africa’s senior football team, Bafana Bafana. The South African Football Association (SAFA) is preparing for life after Hugo Broos, whose tenure as Bafana Bafana coach is set to end after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Broos is expected to retire after the global showpiece, though SAFA says the door remains open for him to continue, but he would have to re-apply for the job. The Belgian has…

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed the suspension of four members of its National Executive Committee. The following NEC members have been formally issued with notices of suspension pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings: Mr Gladwyn White, Mr Monde Montshiwa, Mr Orapeleng Setlhare, and Ms Emma Hendrick. This follows an incident earlier this month in which the members were caught on video disrupting an NEC meeting, in protest against a proposed motion to suspend several NEC members. “SAFA…

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has proposed a new bonus structure that would see Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana earn less to play for the country’s senior national football teams, reports the Sowetan newspaper. According to documents that were to be presented at last Saturday’s aborted National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, players will receive between 20% and 45% of tournament winnings, depending on the elimination stage. This would drastically curtail players’ bonuses from tournaments. For instance, according to SAFA’s…

South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, says he has kept his promise for the implementation of the Video Referee Technology (VAR) in the local football league. Mckenzie has been vocal about VAR for months, insisting that it is worth digging into the public purse to fund it and elevate the game. On Wednesday, he confirmed that the National Treasury has now made a payment to the South African Football Association (SAFA) to proceed with its implementation. “We have paid the…

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and Standard Bank have announced a landmark sponsorship that will see one of Africa’s largest banks become an official partner, supporting Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana and grassroots national teams from 2026 and beyond. “The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for South Africa, with Bafana Bafana set to compete on the grandest global stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19…

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that Bafana Bafana will be based in Pachuca, Mexico, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bafana Bafana will train at the Universidad del Futbol and stay at the Camino Real Pachuca hotel, located just outside Pachuca. Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca is scheduled to stage the tournament’s opening match, Mexico vs. South Africa, on June 11. Mexico is under the spotlight after the city of Guadalajara erupted with cartel violence last weekend, alongside…

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie has confirmed that Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka was fetching ice for the team when he missed the yellow card that almost cost Bafana Bafana a place in next year’s FIFA World Cup. Bafana Bafana have qualified for the World Cup despite being docked three points after midfielder Teboho Mokoena was fielded in the 2-0 win over Lesotho in March despite sitting on two yellow cards, meaning he was suspended for…

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and Sasol have renewed their sponsorship agreement for a further four years, four months after the expiry of the previous deal. Early in July, Sasol confirmed the deal had expired, just days before Banyana Banyana kicked off their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) defence in Morocco. They finished fourth in the tournament. The two parties finally announced in Friday that they have reached a new agreement on a deal until 2029. “The previous…

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie has urged the South African Football Association (SAFA) to take responsibility for the yellow card saga. The matter relates to Bafana Bafana being docked three points for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The blunder cost Bafana Bafana three points after FIFA awarded Lesotho a 3-0 win and fined SAFA R216 000 while cautioning Mokoena. Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka is at the centre…