THE FUSE

Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt

Visa issues delayed Bafana Bafana for a day before the soccer players left South Africa for Mexico on Monday afternoon.

Coach Hugo Broos will use a friendly match against Jamaica on Friday to prepare for the opening World Cup game.

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says his players have put their visa drama behind them. The South African team left for Mexico on Monday afternoon after visa problems delayed their trip by one day.

The squad is heading to Pachuca to prepare for their opening 2026 Fifa World Cup match against Mexico. The game will happen at the Mexico City Stadium on 11 June.

Broos said the past few days were stressful. But he said those problems are over and the team is focused on football.

The team travelled without assistant coach Helman Mkhalele. Mkhalele stayed behind because he had not received his visa when the squad left OR Tambo International Airport.

Bafana Bafana will play a warm-up match against Jamaica on Friday. Broos said the game comes at the right time because the gap since playing Nicaragua last week was too long.

Jamaica is ranked 71st in the world. Jamaica missed the tournament after losing to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the playoffs. Broos said Jamaica will be a good final test.

Broos said he has an idea of how he wants to play against Mexico. He will use the Friday match to test his plan.

Defender Aubrey Modiba is close to returning to full training. Modiba picked up a hamstring injury last month while playing for Mamelodi Sundowns against AS FAR in the CAF Champions League final first leg.

Broos said the team will not risk Modiba against Jamaica. But the coach is sure the defender will be ready for the opening match.

After facing Mexico, Bafana Bafana will play the Czech Republic in Atlanta on 18 June. They will then return to Mexico to play South Korea in Guadalupe for their final Group A game.

Pictured above: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.

Image source: File