South Africas World Cup team leaves for Mexico without head coach

South African National Team Departs Early for World Cup Training

A charter flight carrying members of the South African national team departed Johannesburg on Monday, ahead of their opening game against Mexico at the 2023 FIFA World Cup. The delegation, which includes all players and 99% of technical staff, was initially scheduled to leave on Sunday but was delayed due to issues with visa issuance for several team members.

Assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who has been unable to obtain a US visa, will have to travel later. According to the South African Football Association (SAFA), the delay in obtaining visas was attributed to an administrative issue, and the US Consulate General in Johannesburg was cited as being responsible for the delay.

The team is set to play Jamaica in a friendly match on Friday before facing Mexico in their opening game on June 11. Coach Hugo Broos expressed relief that the issues had been resolved, stating that the team can now focus on preparing for the World Cup.

The South African team will compete in Group A and face Czechia in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Monterrey, Mexico, six days later. This marks their fourth appearance at the World Cup, with the goal of advancing from the group stage for the first time.

Source: Al Jazeera