Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has secured his visa to travel to Mexico to team up with the rest of the South Africa delegation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mkhalele and the team’s security head, Mdu Mbatha, were left behind following the administrative chaos which delayed Bafana’s departure for the World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. More than half of the delegation, including players, had not been issued their visas on time.
That left them grounded in Johannesburg, forcing them to postpone their departure from Sunday to Monday. Two members were now missing from the travelling party after others had their travelling documents sorted out.
Having now been cleared to travel after securing their visas, FARPost was told that Mkhalele and Mbatha were expected to fly out of Johannesburg on late Tuesday. It needed the intervention of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to speed up the visa processing.
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Bafana arrived in Mexico on Tuesday morning to set up base camp in Pachuca. They will play an international friendly match against Jamaica on Friday before kicking off the World Cup against Mexico on June 11.
Team captain Ronwen Williams is not ignoring what he says is the home advantage the co-hosts will enjoy.
“They are an amazing team, highly experienced. They have been part of World Cups before, and they have got the experience, and they have got players,” Williams spoke to Sporty TV.
“The most important thing is they have got the supporters and the home ground advantage. Obviously, that is always key.
“So we are excited, we will obviously analyse them. We will watch their games, and I think it’s going to be a good game, we are excited.”
The June 11 encounter will be staged at the iconic Azteca Stadium, a football cathedral in Mexico City. The famed football ground is set to become the first stadium in history to host matches across three World Cup editions.
Now expanded to an 87,500 seater, Azteca Stadium also hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup games.
“That’s historic [playing at the Azteca Stadium]. It’s what it stands for in football,” the Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper went on.
“Words can’t describe how important that stadium is and what it means not only to Mexico but to the entire world. The football nation is amazing, I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere.”
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