2 June 2026 – Bafana Bafana have arrived at their base camp in Pachuca, Mexico, ahead of the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup next week.
The team arrived in Mexico on Tuesday in high spirits after a long trip from Johannesburg, South Africa, that included a two-hour refuelling stop in the island country of Cape Verde just off the West African coast. A huge media contingent was waiting at the airport and outside the team hotel, with the locals saying that interest in Bafana Bafana is at a record high as the opening match of the global tournament will be between the hosts Mexico and South Africans at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026.
All the players and personnel are in camp in Pachuca, including the Team Doctor Tshepo Molobi and Head Performance Analyst Sinesipho Mali. Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele and team head of security, Mdu Mbatha, are the only outstanding members of the team, but they have also secured their US visas and will be traveling to Mexico in the afternoon (South Africa time) on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
The South African senior men’s national team will be based in Pachuca for the World Cup and they will train at the Universidad del Futbol. Coach Hugo Broos’ charges are staying at Camino Real Pachuca hotel, located just outside Pachuca.
Bafana Bafana will have their first training session in Mexico this afternoon (Mexico time).
South African Football: Teko Modise was named the South African Player of the Year in 2008.
Redmouth
What do you call an Afrikaans guy that squeezes chickens?
Hendrik.
Chew Chew
First African Nation that Hosted the FIFA World Cup: In 2010, South Africa was the first African country to host the FIFA World Cup, and what an event it was! The Inter Press Service team agrees with Tim that it was one of the best FIA World Cup seasons that the world has witnessed. The event was so colorful that the fun was increased multiple times. They also used vuvuzelas, making the event more fun to look at.