The South Africa national football team has been forced to delay their trip to North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to significant visa issues that the country's sports minister has described as "embarrassing and grossly unfair."

The South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed in a statement that the team was due to fly out on Sunday but was unable to depart because of "challenges regarding visas for some players and officials." The team is scheduled to play co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the tournament on June 11, 2026, and was set to be based at Universidad Del Futbol in San Juan Tilcualtla.

"This SAFA travel and visa debacle is embarrassing and grossly unfair towards the players and coaching staff," said South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie on social media. "I have informed SAFA that I need a report and action must be taken against those responsible for this mess. We are being made to look like fools."

SAFA has announced it will hold an emergency committee meeting before providing further updates to the country. In the meantime, the team will continue training in Johannesburg until they are able to travel.

The visa issues come against the backdrop of the United States' new "visa bond pilot program" implemented this year, which could require fans from several countries to pay a deposit of up to $15,000 in bond payments to enter the country on a travel visa. Countries affected include Algeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, and Cape Verde — the latter qualifying for the men's World Cup for the first time in its history.

While athletes and team members will be granted exemption for the World Cup, they will also be subject to a "rigorous screening and vetting" process, according to the U.S. government's website. For fans, they would have needed to purchase tickets for the tournament by April 15 through FIFA's website and opt into the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System to qualify for an exemption.

The timing of this visa issue is particularly problematic given that South Africa is scheduled to play in the opening match of the tournament. The delay has raised concerns about the team's preparation time and jet lag before facing Mexico.

This is not the first time visa issues have affected World Cup preparations. In April, Iranian soccer executives were unable to attend an annual meeting of the Asian Football Confederation in Canada due to visa complications, according to the body's general secretary.